CONTENTS PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

4 About the Institute

5 President’s Message
7 Research Agenda 2020–2025
8 Knowledge Generation
27 Philippine APEC Study Center Network
29 Knowledge Dissemination
34 Knowledge Databases
35 PIDS Publication Downloads
36 Citation of PIDS Studies
38 PIDS Corners
39 Development Policy Research Month
41 Annual Public Policy Conference
44 International Linkages
45 Policy Influence
50 PIDS Employees Association
51 PIDS Provident Fund
52 Board of Trustees
53 Management Committee
54 Research Fellows
Annexes
57 A: Completed Studies
62 B: Ongoing Studies
63 C: Publications
69 D: Online and Social Media Materials
74 E: Seminars/Events
77 F: Press Releases
79 G: Development Policy Research Month
81 H: International Linkages
86 I: Engagements of PIDS Fellows in Congressional Meetings/
Hearings/Technical Committees/Working Groups in 2020
88 J: Audit Certificate

90 K: Statements of Financial Position

91 L: Statements of Financial Performance

92 M: Statements of Changes in Net Assets/Equity
93 N: Statements of Cash Flows
94 O: Statement of Comparison of Budget and Actual Amounts
95 P: Notes to Financial Statements
<4> PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

ABOUT THE

INSTITUTE
The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) was created on
September 26, 1977 by virtue of Presidential Decree 1201 as an agency
attached to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
It is organized as a nonstock, nonprofit government corporation.

PIDS serves as the Philippine government’s primary socioeconomic

policy think tank performing policy-oriented research on various aspects
of the Philippine economy to assist the government in formulating plans
and policies that are based on research evidence.

Based on this mandate, it is the mission of PIDS to serve the interests of

the Filipino people through the provision of rigorous analyses of policy
issues that can guide policymakers and leaders in decisionmaking.

PIDS is ranked as one of the best think tanks in the world in the Global
Go To Think Tank Index Report annually published by the Think Tanks
and Civil Societies Program of the University of Pennsylvania.

It has been an ISO-certified organization since 2019.

OUR VISION OUR MISSION

By 2025, PIDS is the country’s To provide relevant, reliable,
foremost think tank and a and timely policy research
globally recognized policy to guide policymaking and
research organization. enable informed public
discourse in the country.

OUR QUALITY POLICY

We uphold excellence and commitment to public service by providing

and promoting policy-oriented research on development issues to
assist the government in evidence-based policymaking.

We adhere to legal, professional, and ethical standards in the conduct

and dissemination of policy research.

We abide by standards of professionalism and competence in all levels

of the organization.

We commit to the continual improvement of our personnel, processes,

and our Quality Management System.
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT <5>

AS WITH THE REST of the country and the world, PRESIDENT’S

MESSAGE
it was a challenging year for us, but we coped with
everyone’s hard work and cooperation.

The whole stretch of 2020 saw us revisiting our

strategies to adapt to a new work setup and
ensure the health and safety of everyone as we
faced the pandemic. We also endeavored to forge
closer ties with one another despite the physical
distance that separated us.

The first few months were particularly challenging

as we tried to navigate the situation. The rising
cases of COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdown
astounded us all, but just like in any emergency, we
needed to act fast. We immediately installed the
needed health and safety measures in accordance
with Department of Health guidelines and the
procedures in transitioning to alternative work
arrangements following Civil Service Commission
regulations. Support services were provided to
all staff, such as subsidy for internet expenses,
provision of desktop or laptop for those without
computer units to use at home, and transportation
assistance for those who needed to report to the
office physically.

By May 2020, we were almost fully operational. It

was also at this time of the year when we welcome
the appointment of Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua
as the acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary
and Chairperson of the PIDS Board of Trustees.

Our research program continued despite the

difficulty of collecting data face-to-face. We
overcame this by shifting to online data collection
tools. Our research teams also closely coordinated
with relevant agencies and organizations for their
data needs.

By the end of December, we have completed

60 research projects while 22 were ongoing.
The Institute also managed to continue forging
strategic partnerships with various organizations.
PIDS entered into 12 memorandums of agreement
with the following organizations: United Nations
Children’s Fund, International Development
Research Centre, Asian Development Bank,
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secreatariat
through the Department of Trade and Industry’s
Bureau of International Trade Relations, Department
of Information and Communications Technology
(DICT), United Nations Development Programme,
United Nations Economic and Social Commission
for Asia and the Pacific, Department of the Interior
and Local Government, Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority, and Center for
International Knowledge on Development; and
two memorandums of undertstanding with the
Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines
and DICT.
Fulfilling its role in national policy as the main
socioeconomic think tank of the government,
PIDS pursued the following studies as part of its
contributions to the response of the government
to the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) Projected Disease
Transmission, Health System Requirements, and
Macroeconomic Impacts of COVID-19 in the
Philippines (DP 2020-15), (2) Poverty, the Middle
Class, and Income Distribution amid COVID-19
(DP 2020-22), and (3) Mitigating the Impact of
COVID-19 Pandemic on Poverty (DP 2020-25).
<6> PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
We also produced 1 book, 5 issues of the Research
Paper Series, 1 issue of the Philippine Journal of
Development, 1 issue of the Economic Policy
Monitor, 9 Policy Notes, 4 issues of the Development
Research News, and 59 Discussion Papers.
Despite the lockdowns, we managed to sustain
our seminars and events by going virtual. We
were able to organize 31 events, 27 of which were
webinars. These were attended by more than
5,000 participants from various sectors and by
viewers on Facebook.
We also continued distributing printed copies
of our new publications to our key networks
in government, higher education institutions,
research institutes, private sector, nongovernment
organizations, local government units (LGUs),
international organizations, state colleges and
universities, and PIDS Corners across the country.
Furthermore, we enhanced our online tools, which
included our website, social media pages, and
knowledge databases.
In addition to the publications download survey
that we started in 2019 to monitor the utilization
of our studies, we began tracking the citation of
our studies via the Research Papers in Economics
(RePEc) and Google Scholar databases. It was
heartening to see so many of our studies being
used by other scholars in their work. So far,
we monitored through RePEc a total of 645
PIDS studies with 1,859 citations. In Google
Scholar, we monitored 1,009 PIDS studies with
10,425 citations.
The media remained very supportive of us. We had
661 citations in both print and online media in
2020, 53 percent higher than in 2019.
We also continued to assist our legislators in
the crafting or deliberation of proposed bills in
both houses of Congress. Our senior researchers
participated in 18 congressional meetings/hearings,
technical committees, or working groups, and
submitted position papers or comments as inputs
to 46 proposed pieces of legislation pending
before the Senate and the House of Representatives.
We also monitored several House bills filed in the
18th Congress that directly cited or referenced
PIDS studies. We also provided initial evidence
of the utilization of our policy recommendations
based on the feedback of some policymakers and
government officials.
Our Development Policy Research Month (DPRM)
celebration in September transpired and remained
well-attended despite the shift to virtual mode. In
response to the pandemic, we chose the theme
“Bouncing Back Together: Innovating Governance
for the New Normal” to rouse our collective
consciousness as a nation as we move forward
to recover from this pandemic and face other
challenges. Through this theme, we hoped to
emphasize the need to innovate governance across
all sectors of society to steer the country toward
the path of renewed growth and dynamism.
We organized and conducted three virtual events to
mark the DPRM: a kickoff seminar, a forum that we
co-organized with Mindanao Development Authority
and Ateneo de Davao University, and the four-part
Annual Public Policy Conference, which is the main
and culminating activity of the DPRM.
We also continued to cultivate productive
relationship and engagement with key
international networks, such as the APEC Study
Centers Consortium, East Asian Development
Network, Global Trade and Policy Alliance,
Network of East Asian Think Tanks, and Research
Institutes Network.
Amid the challenges brought by the pandemic, I
am pleased to share that the Institute was conferred
with the Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy
and Excellence in Human Resource Management
(PRIME-HRM) Bronze Award on August 18, 2020,
based on the validation conducted by the Human
Resource Policies and Standards Office of the Civil
Service Commission-National Capital Region.
I am also proud to tell you that we passed our first
surveillance audit this year for the ISO certification
we got in 2019.
You will find more details of our activities and
accomplishments in 2020 as you leaf through the
pages of this annual report.
On behalf of the PIDS family, I would like to thank
you all for your continued support.
Rest assured that PIDS will remain committed to
serving the Filipino people through policy research.
CELIA M. REYES
President
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT <7>

2020–2025
RESEARCH AGENDA

Catching FIRe
as the
Global Economy
Reshapes

IN RESPONSE TO the demand for systematic and comprehensive studies that can guide and support
planning and policymaking, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) regularly crafts a
five-year research agenda to have an objective prioritization of prevailing domestic and global issues that
affect the country.

The new research agenda 2020–2025 covers emerging policy issues that need to be studied thoroughly
not only by PIDS but by other research and academic institutions as well. Anchored on the AmBisyon
Natin 2040 as a guiding vision, the report proposes topics revolving on the following major themes:
Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIRe), climate change, trading arrangements, competition framework,
and inequality.

The agenda was crafted by an external team of experts consisting of Dr. Mario Lamberte (project leader),
Dr. George Manzano, and Dr. Alvin Culaba (members). The methodology included desk review, key
informant interviews with key officials and representatives of government agencies, academe, private
sector, civil society, and international organizations, and focus group discussions with PIDS research
fellows and management committee.

You may download the full version of the PIDS research agenda at http://bit.ly/pidsagenda2020.
<8> PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

KNOWLEDGE

GENERATION
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT <9>

COMPLETED STUDIES

The inability to do
face-to-face data collection
in 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic posed
a significant challenge to
the Institute’s research
program. A shift to online
data collection tools was
made for studies in need
of primary data. The
research teams also closely
coordinated with relevant
agencies and organizations
for their data needs.

AGRICULTURE, NATURAL demand to improve the allocation of water

RESOURCES,
AND ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT
Assessing the Resurgent
Irrigation Development Program
of the Philippines
This paper synthesizes the findings of the component
studies under the resurgent irrigation development
assessment. Among its recommendations include
improving irrigation system design and watershed
management, conducting environmental assessment,
establishing an asset management plan and baseline
data, determining the appropriate level of operations
and maintenance funds, using technology in
monitoring and evaluation and data collection
and analysis, using modeling in system water
allocation management, and establishing a reliable
and up-to-date database on water supply and
rights. It also suggests that the National Irrigation
Administration beef up its technical capacity
and better understand the bottlenecks in
program implementation. It also recommends
having a shared vision, goals, and objectives
among government agencies and other sectors
to motivate them to work together, pool and
share resources, synergize, and agree on strategic
directions for watershed management.
Development of Crop Climate
Calendars for High-Value Crops in
Atok, Benguet: Report from Preliminary
Co-Learning and Co-Development
Engagements with Agricultural
Stakeholders in Benguet Province
Crop climate calendars augment traditional crop
calendars by specifying planting and harvest
schedules and describing phenological states,
cultivation practices, and weather and climate
requirements that any crop faces throughout a
< 10 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
cropping season. Its value to Benguet is compelling
as this mountainous province experiences a
unique microclimate and phenomena (e.g., frost
and hail) and derives income from the cultivation
of high-value crops (e.g., carrots, cabbage,
and potatoes) amid this challenge. This study
aims to understand farmers’ experiences and
assist them in constructing their crop climate
calendars. If constructed well and used properly,
they are a valuable tool for agricultural extension
workers and farmers in making climate-sensitive
agricultural decisions.
Barriers to Application of Weather
and Climate Information in Cut Flower
Production in Benguet
This paper explores the barriers in applying
weather and climate information to cut flower
production in Atok, Benguet, which has a
competitive advantage in cut flower production
due to its unique weather and climate. Results
show that while barriers exist on the side of the
weather agencies’ dissemination of information,
there also exist significant financial, infrastructural,
and capacity barriers, including the lack of working
capital to implement optimal decision alternatives
dictated by adverse weather conditions, the
absence of reliable phone service and power to
disseminate and access the information, and the
lack of forecasts translated into the vernacular
or laymanized.
Developing Rapid Climate Decision
Analysis Tool in Smallholder High-Value
Crop Farming in Atok, Benguet
Weather and climate information are useful
tools for smallholder farmers to manage climate
risk. This paper discusses collected data and
initial results in developing the rapid climate
decision analysis (RCDA) tool applicable to
smallholder high-value crop farming in Atok,
Benguet. This excel-based tool harnesses farmers’
and agricultural extension workers’ knowledge
and aids them in decisionmaking. Information
gathered are yields, production costs, and prices
by crop, season, and amount of rainfall. Rainfall
is the most important weather and climate risk
in Atok because most farms are rainfed and with
limited sources of supplemental irrigation. The tool
is being fine-tuned to make it more appropriate
and user-friendly to farmers, agricultural extension
workers, and other change agents involved in
smallholder farming.
Barriers to Application of Weather and
Climate Information in Smallholder
Vegetable Farming in Benguet
This paper aims to understand the barriers to the
access and use of weather and climate information
in agricultural decisionmaking as a means to cope
with the changing climate. Results show that while
vegetable farmers see the value of using weather
and climate information, there is no localized
weather and climate information applicable to
Benguet’s microclimate. The provision of weather
and climate information must also be supported
with other interventions, such as access to
low-cost credit, to enable farmers to implement
the optimal decision alternative.
Agricultural Employment and the
Rural Household: A Characterization
for Selected Provinces in
the Philippines
This study addresses data gaps on the
socioeconomic profile of agricultural workers
within rural households. Using a survey, it collected
panel data on the full range of rural households’
labor and economic activities with agricultural
workers, including patterns of employment and
seasonality, other relevant worker and household
characteristics, and the community-level context.
Results show that working-age individuals are
more likely to become agricultural workers if
they are male, older, less educated, and are in
a barangay with better rural infrastructure and
more remote from the urban center. Weekly
working hours for agricultural workers are greater
for younger, better educated workers, and in
barangays nearer the urban center. The study
notes several implications for policy and further
research, including the need to nuance structural
change in terms of sectoral employment trends,
analyze the volatility of agricultural employment,
aggressively expand quality schooling in the rural
areas, increase investments in rural infrastructure,
and design programs addressing the implications
of gender.
The Role of Agrarian Reform
Beneficiary Organizations (ARBOs)
in Agriculture Value Chain
This paper evaluates how ARBOs participate in
the value chain and engage actors along the value
chain. Farmer organizations, such as ARBOs, are
essential conduits for smallholders to participate,

especially in higher value chains, enabling them
to pool resources, jointly carry out profitable
activities, reducing risks and transaction costs,
and operating on scale economies. However, many
farmer organizations in the country have a low
level of organizational maturity and are mainly
formed to access funding. The paper suggests that
farmer organizations and their participation in
higher value chains can be improved by enabling
farmer members to commit to the organization
through equity participation, enabling farmer
organizations to establish enterprises that
will generate income for their members, and
capacitating farmer organizations on building
alliances/networking.
Boosting Agricultural Productivity
through Parcelization of Collective
Certificate of Land Ownership
Awards (CCLOAs)
This paper identifies the benefits and problems
concerning the subdivision of collective land titles.
Based on findings of existing studies, individual
land ownership positively impacts farmers’
decisionmaking and their farming outcomes. The
analysis of the Department of Agrarian Reform’s
Project ConVERGE’s survey data provides evidence
favoring the acceleration of the subdivision of
CCLOAs. It likewise shows that parcelization needs
to be pursued alongside other rural development
strategies, such as farm consolidation. For a faster
and smoother implementation of the program,
a modern cadaster and record-keeping system
should be adopted, and the agrarian justice
delivery system of DAR should be improved.
The Unfinished Agenda of Trade
Liberalization in Philippine
Agriculture: Assessing the Impact of
Reducing Tariff and Nontariff Barriers
Much progress has been made in pursuing
the liberalization of agricultural trade in the
Philippines. However, some significant tariff and
nontariff barriers remain. This study evaluates
the economic impacts of completing the policy
reform agenda by removing these remaining
trade barriers. Scenario analysis using computable
general equilibrium (CGE) modeling finds that
trade liberalization is associated with a more rapid
expansion in imports and a wider agricultural
trade deficit, slower growth of agricultural gross
domestic product (GDP) and wages, and higher
overall GDP and higher industry fiscal position
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 11 >
and national savings. Liberalization radically
accelerates the growth of imports for hogs and
sugar while slowing down the export contraction
of coconut, banana, mango, and most other
exports. It slows down the output growth of most
import-substituting goods while accelerating
export-oriented sectors’ output growth. Trade
liberalization also accelerates growth in per
capita consumption, as well as total per capita
expenditure. Lastly, it increases social welfare,
though the gain is small in relation to base
year expenditure.
Did the Opening up of Rice
Importation in the Philippines Worsen
Income Poverty and Inequality?
A General Equilibrium with
Microsimulation Approach
Tariffication of quantitative restrictions on rice
imports is a key policy reform of the Duterte
administration. This study reviews recent trends
in the rice market and assesses the poverty and
distributional effects of rice tariffication using
a CGE model with microsimulation. Owing to
the price difference between domestic prices
in the Philippines and exporting countries, rice
imports have surged under tariffication. As a
result, domestic prices have fallen, though gross
marketing margins have increased, amplifying
retail prices’ drop on wholesale prices and
palay prices. The price and associated economic
adjustments are expected to cause an increase
in income poverty as conventionally measured.
However, the gains are relatively small and
would diminish over time. The value of the poor’s
income loss is far below the amount provided
by law to address problems in the rice economy
with tariffication.
Land Tenure, Access to Credit, and
Agricultural Performance of ARBs,
Farmer-beneficiaries, and Other
Rural Workers
Policymakers and donors have long viewed
credit programs as salient means to develop
the agriculture sector, especially small-farm
agriculture. Using primary data from Project
ConVERGE, this study analyzed the borrowing
incidence among ARBO member-households,
particularly those engaged in farm production.
The results indicate that membership in an ARBO
is associated with better credit access; borrowing
ARBO agricultural households are better off than
< 12 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
“Ensuring available
financing is necessary
to keep small farmers
and fishers above
poverty and boost food
security in the country.”
nonborrowing ARBO agricultural households;
farmer associations/cooperatives are among the
top sources of agricultural credit in the countryside
aside from microfinance institutions; and
CLOA-holding ARBO agricultural households have
higher borrowing incidence than the average ARBO
agricultural households. Strengthening credit
retailers’ capacity through training, especially in
leadership and credit management, is needed to
further improve their lending performance and
widen their reach in the countryside.
Projecting Loan Demand from Small
Farmers and Fishers in the Philippines
This study develops and applies a method for
estimating loan demand from small farmers
and fishers (SFFs) in the Philippines and projects
future demand. It recommends revising the Small
Farmers and Fisherfolk Indebtedness Survey’s
sampling design using the most recent Census
of Agriculture and Fishers as sampling frame to
make it nationally and regionally representative.
The government should also ensure there is
adequate fund, whether from the government
or formal private sources, to meet the loan
demand of SFFs for production purposes while
still maintaining prudence. Ensuring available
financing is necessary to keep SFFs above poverty
and boost food security in the country, given the
continuing risks of supply chain disruptions.
Toward a More Sustainable Financing
of Small Farmers and Fisherfolk’s
Agricultural Production
This paper looks into the SFFs’ access to finance and
provides recommendations on how the existing
agricultural value chain financing (AVCF) can be
made more inclusive and sustainable. In the short
run, a facilitator-driven AVCF is recommended to
pave the way for an inclusive AVCF. In the long
run, the facilitator-driven AVCF has to evolve into
an integrated AVCF with SFF associations and
financial institutions closely linked to facilitate
the value chain’s various activities. Given that
the value chain in the country is still traditional
and setting up the requisites of successful AVCFs
(e.g., capacitating SFFs, associations, and small
cooperatives; conduits to link SFFs with input and
output markets; forging linkages with institutional
buyers) takes time, a buyer-driven AVCF can
be explored as a second-best alternative in the
long run.

“The financial capacity
of local government units
and households must
be enhanced to provide
better care for children.
This goes hand in hand
with efforts to mitigate
violence and provide safe
and clean environments
for children to
grow up in.”
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT,
LABOR MARKETS,
AND POVERTY
ECCD-F1KD Situation Analysis in
KOICA-UNICEF Project Areas
Persistently high malnutrition remains
significant issue in the Philippines, especially
across subnational regions, despite its sustained
economic growth. The study aims to inform the
development and implementation of health and
nutrition initiatives, particularly those related to
early childhood care and development (ECCD) for
the first 1,000 days (F1KD) of children in UNICEF-
KOICA areas in Northern Samar, Western Samar,
and Zamboanga del Norte. The findings from the
three case studies emphasize the need to enhance
the financial capacity of both local government
units and households to provide better care for
children. This should come hand-in-hand with
efforts to mitigate violence and provide safe and
clean environments for children to grow up in.
There is also a need for greater integration and
clarity in the formulation, implementation, and
monitoring of F1KD initiatives. Health workers’
capacity building should be intensified as well as
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 13 >
the further education of parents and collaborative
efforts to disseminate insights and provide services
to every stakeholder.
Primary Health Care for
Noncommunicable Diseases
in the Philippines
a Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have
become the major cause of disease burden in
the Philippines, accounting for 70 percent of
the 600,000 deaths nationwide in 2019. The
growing burden of NCDs in poor communities has
implications on the country’s poverty reduction
efforts and economic prospects. Assessing the
Philippine primary health care system’s (PHC)
readiness to manage the rising NCD cases, this
paper finds that it remains historically designed
and oriented to address infectious diseases and
maternal and child health. This has led to episodic
and fragmented delivery of health services. To
improve the government’s response to NCDs’
growing threat, health reforms are needed in the
areas of governance, financing, human resources,
and technology use. It is also essential to accelerate
the Universal Health Care Law’s implementation
to realize a modern, integrated, and PHC-oriented
health system.
< 14 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
On the Employability of the Senior
High School Graduates: Evidence from
the Labor Force Survey
A follow-up to the 2018 study, this study intends
to gauge the senior high school graduates’ (SHS)
actual labor market performance. It confirms the
results in the earlier study that only a little over
20 percent enter the labor force, and more than
70 percent continue with their education. The
mixed result in labor market outcomes—that
SHS graduates sometimes perform better and
sometimes poorer relative to their peers—indicates
the need to re-examine the employment and
entrepreneurial objectives of the SHS and
assess and validate the effectiveness of the
SHS curriculum’s work preparation component.
Furthermore, there is a need to continue working
with employers to inform and demonstrate what
SHS graduates can do and solicit their help in
defining the right niche for SHS graduates in the
labor market. Finally, this calls for continued close
monitoring and generating empirical evidence
that will help understand SHS graduates’ role in
the labor market.
Correlates of Test Performance of
15-year-old Students in the Philippines:
Evidence from PISA
To provide evidence on the drivers of the quality
of education in the country, this study focuses
on the correlations of Philippine students’ test
performance to quantitatively measure the roles of
individual, family, and school characteristics in test
performance. It uses data from the 2018 Program
for International Student Assessment (PISA),
which measures students’ literacy in mathematics,
science, and reading, and includes a rich set of
student, family, and school characteristics. In
terms of individual characteristics, the estimation
results show a consistent negative correlation
between grade repetition, age at the start of
primary schooling, and incidence of bullying
and test scores across mathematics, science,
and reading. For household characteristics,
parental occupation and emotional support are
positively correlated with test scores. For school
characteristics, disciplinary climate provided a
consistent positive correlation with test scores.
The paper also finds puzzling results in learning
time and teacher qualifications that require
in-depth studies.
Future Science and Technology
Human Resource Requirements in the
Philippines: A Market Labor Analysis
This study aims to describe current trends in the
supply and demand of science and technology
(S&T) human resources in the Philippines. It
finds that despite increasing demand for S&T
human resources and indicators on employability
prospects, many of the young do not pursue science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
careers. Thus, the government and the private sector
should be incentivizing them toward STEM even
as early as junior high school. Providing financial
assistance or scholarships can be helpful but not
enough. The study suggests gaining more insights
into the various factors that affect the supply of S&T
workers and providing supporting mechanisms
to make the country’s S&T human resources
more agile.
Towards a Sustainable Online Work
in the Philippines: Learnings from
the Online Survey of Market and
Nonmarket Work during the Enhanced
Community Quarantine
This paper analyzes patterns of online work in the
Philippines and looks into issues on skills, social
protection, and other challenges, and provides
ways to address these issues to make online work
sustainable. It finds that (1) platform workers in the
Philippines are young, which has implications on
skill formation and human capital development
since a quarter of Filipino online workers are
performing tasks that are at the lower end of the
value chain; (2) those who have no work experience
have practically zero probabilities of including
an online work in their current work portfolio; (3)
they take advantage of economies of scope as
they leverage skills and resources common across
platform work and other economic activities; (4)
women are more likely to engage in platform
work than men; and (5) motivations in doing past
platform work influence the worker’s transition to
a given work portfolio.
Online Work in the Philippines: Some
Lessons in the Asian Context
This paper looks into some stylized patterns in
online work in the Philippines within the bigger
context of the Asian experience. It highlights some
of the challenges that pertain to skills and social
protection. It recommends creating skills and

training systems that apply to any work setting, not
just platform work, designing a social protection
system that covers all workers, strengthening
infrastructure support for the creative industry and
the creative process outsourcing, and exploring
platform economy as an area of cooperation
among Asian nations.
Updating of UN Common Country
Assessment for the Philippines
The Common Country Assessment (CCA) is a tool
that provides grounding and direction for the
United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development
Cooperation Framework. It presents an overview
of the trajectories of national outcomes over
the years and examines areas for improvement.
Released in 2018, the last CCA underpins
the Partnership Framework for Sustainable
Development (PFSD) 2019–2023 between the UN
and the Philippines. Given recent developments,
especially the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
pandemic and its socioeconomic impacts, the
key assumptions and development trajectories
envisaged in the PFSD 2019-2023 and the CCA
underpinning the PFSD may no longer be valid. The
newly formulated CCA notes that the trajectory of
the Philippine Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)
indicators is off-track and will be exacerbated by
the pandemic. It shows how COVID-19 impacts the
three pillars of the PFSD, namely, people, prosperity
and planet, and peace.
Review of Indigenous Peoples Policy
and Institutional Grounding
Indigenous peoples and cultural communities
have been typically caught in the middle of
development projects, extractive industries, and
land use, infringing on their fundamental rights
and the domains they call home and disrupting
their natural way of life. This study reviews the
Indigenous Peoples Rights Act provisions and how
it ties up salient provisions with implementation
outcomes. The analysis shows that while the
landmark legislation seemingly provided and
safeguarded their basic core rights, the situation
on the ground proved otherwise. It also reveals the
implementation challenges faced by the National
Commission on Indigenous Peoples tasked to
implement the law. These challenges include
limitations on fiscal and labor resources, policy
overlaps on resource management and tenurial
conflicts, and weak process and anthropological
documentation of ancestral domains.
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 15 >
Projected Disease Transmission,
Health System Requirements, and
Macroeconomic Impacts of the
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
in the Philippines
This study discusses the potential socioeconomic
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the
Philippines under different scenarios, the
projections on the resource requirements
needed by the health sector to cope with the
pandemic, and the possible burden of COVID-19
on the Philippine macroeconomy. It notes
that aggressive efforts in the post-enhanced
community quarantine (ECQ) period to isolate at
least 70 percent of infectious cases through better
contact tracing, social distancing, individual or
household isolation, and reduced delays in time to
seek care for symptomatic patients are necessary
to suppress the outbreak. For all scenarios that
do not successfully isolate at least 70 percent of
infectious individuals, demand for healthcare
resources at the peak of the outbreak, i.e., by August
2020, far exceeds available supply in the health
sector. The Philippine economy may lose between
PHP 276.3 billion (best case) and PHP 2.5 trillion
(worse case) due to COVID-19. The transport, storage,
and communication sector is expected to suffer
substantial losses because of expected declines
in tourism (PHP 11.7-124.3 billion). Extending the
ECQ by one more month may potentially cost the
Philippine economy at least PHP 150 billion due
to possible declines in household consumption as
workers remain unemployed for longer periods.
Poverty, the Middle Class, and Income
Distribution amidst COVID-19
This study presents an updated profile of the
poor and various segments of the income
distribution based on the 2018 Family Income and
Expenditure Survey. It also simulates the likely
effects of contractions in per capita income on
poverty and the entire income distribution amid
the COVID-19 pandemic. The study finds that in a
medium-case scenario of declines of incomes by
10 percent across the entire income distribution,
the number of poor Filipinos can increase by 5.5
million; with emergency financial subsidies (i.e.,
the social amelioration program and the small
business wage subsidy in place), only 1.5 million
would fall into poverty. These results illustrate
the importance of providing social protection for
the poor and the nonpoor segments that could
likely fall into poverty. The study also urges the
< 16 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
“Long-term measures
and an inclusive
economic recovery
process must be put
in place to enable
the most affected to
bounce back quickly
from the COVID-19
crisis and avoid falling
into chronic poverty.”
Philippine Statistics Authority to review its official
poverty measurement system, given the changes
in income and expenditure patterns in the past
decade (before the onset of COVID-19).
Does Economic Growth Benefit the
Poor? Evidence from the 2015–2018
Growth Episode
The Philippines is generally winning its fight
against poverty, given the substantial decrease
in the magnitude, incidence, intensity, and
severity of poverty in 2018. Poverty decomposition
analysis shows that economic growth and
income redistribution have equally contributed
to this decline. However, poverty continues to
vary widely across the regions. Given these, the
government has been implementing various
policies and programs to further address poverty
and inequality. The global COVID-19 pandemic,
however, which caused economic recession in
many countries, including the Philippines, can
reverse the gains made in recent years and push
poverty rates even higher than the 2015 levels.
Thus, government efforts to contain the spread
of the virus are critical to restart and steer the
economy back to its growth path. Moreover, safety
nets are also essential to help affected individuals
and families recover more quickly.
Mitigating the Impact of the COVID-19
Pandemic on Poverty
Poverty simulations under different scenarios
on the impacts of COVID-19 suggest that the
pandemic will increase the number of poor
people in the country. Both national and local
governments have implemented different
emergency assistance programs to help affected
individuals, families, and enterprises cope with
the economic effects of COVID-19 and smoothen
their consumption. Among others, the paper
recommends long-term measures and an inclusive
economic recovery process to enable the most
affected to bounce back quickly from the crisis
and avoid falling into chronic poverty, having a
universal health insurance with greater benefits to
assist in future health-related public emergencies,
establishing a stronger infrastructure so that
response to future shocks and hazards will be done
more efficiently, and developing interoperable
databases across government for easier and
more accurate identification and targeting of
potential beneficiaries.

Who Wins and Who Loses from
PhilHealth? Cost and Benefit
Incidence of Social Health Insurance
in a Lifecycle Perspective
This study examines the National Health
Insurance Program’s (NHIP) financial costs and
benefits through the Philippine Health Insurance
Corporation (PhilHealth). It finds the current system
of premium contributions and benefits payment
fiscally unsustainable, with the NHIP estimated to
lose about 40 centavos for every peso an individual
contributes directly or indirectly as a premium
to PhilHealth. As a government reallocation
program that provides a social safety net to ensure
universal access to health care, benefits may need
to be further increased to encourage pro-social
health-seeking behavior, especially among the
poor. As a pseudopension system that transfers
resources from current workers to retirees for
health spending, these benefits may need to be
re-assessed based on current and future workers’
capacity to carry the burden of financing these
entitlements. As a health insurance program,
population risks and utilization levels need to be
rigorously accounted for to ensure that the system
remains actuarially fair.
Impacts of the Sustainable
Livelihood Program’s Microenterprise
Development Assistance with Seed
Capital Fund on Poor Households
in the Philippines
This study evaluates the impact of the
Microenterprise Development (MD) assistance
provided by the Department of Social Welfare
and Development’s (DSWD)Sustainable Livelihood
Program. This assistance consists of capacity
building, group formation, and a seed capital
fund grant of PHP 10,000 per household used as a
startup or additional microenterprise capital. The
microenterprise may be run individually or as a
group. The findings show that the MD intervention
increased the number of hours worked, labor
force participation, and employment rate among
spouses in poor households that used the grant
for individual business. Labor impacts among
households that used the grant for group projects
were smaller. There was no improvement in
household income, expenditure, savings, and
capital investment, which seem plausible given
reported problems in business implementation,
such as high rate of business closure, low
profitability, and lack of participation of group
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 17 >
members. The study concludes that livelihood
assistance to the poor should be combined with
other risk-reducing interventions. It recommends
that DSWD consider the relative advantages and
disadvantages of group-based and individual
livelihood projects and improve business project
selection and the quality of its support services.
Deepening the Narrative: Qualitative
Follow-up Study on the Third Impact
Evaluation of Pantawid Pamilya
This study provides deeper insights into selected
outcomes of the third impact evaluation of the
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps),
where unexpected results on child nutrition,
maternal health, and labor market outcomes
were observed. The analysis of the results
shows that the lack of proper understanding
of the importance of postnatal check-ups
can be the reason for the low availment
even if the utilization of prenatal check-ups
is high. There appear to be no differences in
the nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and
practices between Pantawid and non-Pantawid
beneficiaries, suggesting that the explanation for
the perverse program impact on stunting may
come from other factors not captured in the study.
The perverse employment outcomes appear to
result from low educational attainment and lack
of and seasonality of job opportunities.
Giving Cash to the Poor: A Study
of Pantawid Pamilya Cash Grants
Generosity, Frequency, and Modality
This study assesses the payment system of the
4Ps in terms of the benefit levels or amount of
cash transfers, frequency, and mode of payment
delivery. The results show that the program should
consider adjusting the cash grants’ benefit level to
account for inflation. There is no strong demand
from the beneficiaries for more frequent payouts.
Changes in payment frequency should also be
carefully examined to know if benefits outweigh
the additional operations costs. Although the
payment delivery system has improved through
the years due to the shift to cash cards in the
grants’ release, other enhancements may help.
These include improving the beneficiaries’ access
to reliable ATMs and/or banks where they can
withdraw their grants, streamlining program
procedures to reduce the processing time of
beneficiary updates and grievances, and improving
the payment IT systems and monitoring.
< 18 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

“The ability of platforms

to engage in cross-
border transactions or
operations is affected
by the stringent
requirements of
data protection
laws, coupled with
the divergent regulations
among jurisdictions.”

INSTITUTIONS, LAW, Cross-border Data Regulation for Digital

AND ECONOMICS
Cross-border Issues for Digital
Platforms: A review of Regulations
Applicable to Philippine
Digital Platforms
This paper identifies specific policy issues in the
Philippines’ current regulatory infrastructure
that prevent digital platforms from innovating
and participating in the global digital economy.
These issues include the incoherence between
the government’s national innovation strategy
and the mishmash of regulations that digital
platforms are subjected to. These regulations
pertain to investment regulations and regulations
on mass media, retail, advertising, logistics,
telecommunications, and education. Such a
landscape has led to a regulatory environment
that is unable to provide certainty as to the
legality of the activities of Philippine-based
digital platforms.
Platforms: Data Privacy and Security
The rise of digital platforms entails the processing
of personal data between platforms and their
users. More than enabling the delivery of services
by the platforms, data shared by users have
increasingly become valuable as various businesses
can leverage their access to data to create and
upsell other services. However, the ability of
platforms to engage in cross-border transactions
or operations is affected by the stringent
requirements of data protection laws, coupled
with the divergent regulations among jurisdictions.
With the Philippines as an example, this paper
underscores the salient points in existing data
protection regulations and the impact of these
principles on both platforms and data subjects.
It emphasizes the need to push for stronger
intergovernmental and regional data protection
frameworks and presents recommendations to
facilitate digital platform transactions with due
consideration to personal data protection and
national security considerations.

MACROECONOMICS,
FINANCE, AND GROWTH
PIDS-BSP Annual Macroeconometric
Model for the Philippines: Preliminary
Estimates and Ways Forward
Given new programs and policies in the Philippines,
there is a need to formulate a macroeconometric
model (MEM) to gain more insights into how the
economy and its sectors are affected. This paper
discusses an annual MEM estimation useful for
policy analysis and forecasting concerning the
opportunities and challenges brought about
by new developments. The formulation of an
annual MEM can assist major macroeconomic
stakeholders, such as the National Economic
and Development Authority (NEDA) and the
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), in their policy
simulations, macroeconomic surveillance, and
economic analysis. Given this backdrop, PIDS
and BSP have collaborated to estimate an annual
MEM, which has four blocks, namely, real sector,
fiscal sector, trade sector, and monetary sector.
PUBLIC ECONOMICS AND
GOVERNANCE
Baseline Study on Policy and
Governance Gaps for the Local
Government Support Fund Assistance
to Municipalities (LGSF-AM) Program
One major challenge in assessing the impact of
various national government interventions is the
lack of baseline data. This study aims to identify
policy and governance gaps in infrastructure and
planning to provide baseline data on key areas and
current planning practices of local government
units (LGUs). It reveals the LGUs’ low revenue effort
and low utilization of their local development fund
due to poor planning. The study recommends
improving LGUs’ compliance in the regular
updating of their multisectoral development plans,
revisiting the basis for establishing the current
situation of a locality, improving project readiness
and feasibility, and strengthening capacity
development programs to address governance
gaps in development planning.
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 19 >
Assessment of the Performance
Challenge Fund and the Seal of
Good Local Governance: Perceptions
from Municipalities
This study evaluates the Performance Challenge
Fund (PCF), a performance-based incentive
program that gives financial subsidies to LGUs
awarded the Seal of Good Local Governance
(SGLG). It uses the results of a survey of 1,373
Philippine municipalities, which focus on the
perceptions of the municipal planning team’s core
members on the usefulness and importance of
the PCF. Appreciation of the PCF was high, but 20
percent of the surveyed municipalities were never
eligible to receive it. Most of these municipalities
were from the fifth and sixth income classes
and concentrated in the Bicol and Central and
Eastern Visayas regions. Furthermore, there
were some LGUs that were either consistently
recipients or consistently not recipients of the
PCF. These results can help policymakers prepare
for the implementation of the Seal of Good Local
Governance Law.
Fiscal Decentralization and Health
Service Delivery: An Assessment
This study determines the impact of fiscal
decentralization on health service delivery in
LGUs. The findings suggest that greater health
decentralization has a negative impact on
access to hospital inpatient services and access
to sanitation (toilet). This is consistent with the
narrative in the literature that points to the lower
province-level spending on hospitals due to the
mismatch between the cost of devolved hospitals
and the internal revenue allotment (IRA). These
adverse effects have remained because most
LGUs do not have adequate health budgets to
maintain and upgrade devolved health facilities.
The study thus underscores the importance of a
sound financial resource base for LGUs to reap
decentralization benefits.
Efficiency of Local Governments in
Health Service Delivery: A Stochastic
Frontier Analysis
This study analyzes the efficiency implications of
fiscal decentralization using stochastic frontier
analysis (SFA). The findings lend empirical
< 20 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
evidence to what the literature says about the
health devolution experience in the country. Issues
on the mismatch between local government fiscal
capacity and devolved functions, fragmentation of
health system, the existence of a two-track delivery
system, and unclear expenditure assignments,
among others, inevitably create inefficiency. These
issues should be addressed to fully reap the benefits
(e.g., efficiency gains) of fiscal decentralization,
particularly health devolution.
Assessment of the
2020 President’s Budget
The government budget reflects the government’s
spending priorities. It is essential to assess whether
the priorities outlined in the proposed 2020
President’s Budget are consistent with the current
administration’s policy pronouncements. It also
evaluates the overall fiscal picture projected in
the proposed budget and its consistency with the
macroeconomic assumptions. Also, it examines
the national revenue program, which, together
with the national expenditure program, indicates
the overall fiscal health in 2020.
The Community-Based Monitoring
System (CBMS) as a Local Planning
Tool: Results from the PIDS-DILG
Baseline Study on Policy and
Governance Gaps for the Local
Government Support Fund Assistance
to Municipalities (LGSF-AM) Program
The study examines the use of the CBMS as
a tool in drafting the local Comprehensive
Development Plan. Results of a nationwide
survey of 1,373 municipalities show that most
municipalities use CBMS, not just for ecological
profiling in development planning but also for
budget preparations and priority setting. Local
governments allocate funds for CBMS data
collection (primarily to hire data enumerators),
but not regularly so. Furthermore, there was
evidence that there could be improved utilization
of existing CBMS data and indicators. These results
seem to suggest that municipal development
planning practices generally follow the DILG-
prescribed development planning and recognize
the importance of this being evidence-based.
Among the identified areas for improvement
include reorientating local planners on the
CBMS and regularly updating the development
indicators for more relevant and impactful
development policies.
Evidence-based Local Planning and
Budgeting Using CBMS
Local government units (LGUs) are mandated to
deliver services to their constituents. However, a
major challenge is the lack of disaggregated data
to prepare local plans and budgets. This paper
illustrates how the CBMS can address some of the
Philippine Statistical System gaps to respond to
local planning and budgeting needs. The study
finds that since the CBMS provides disaggregated
local-level data, local planners can use the CBMS
to identify the needs of the population subgroups
and formulate interventions to address these
needs, cost these interventions, and target eligible
beneficiaries of the programs.
Fiscal Sustainability, Equity, and
Allocative Efficiency in the Light of
the 2019 Supreme Court Ruling on the
LGUs’ Share in National Taxes
In April 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that the
share of LGUs in the computation of the IRA is not
only limited to the national internal revenue taxes
but also includes customs duties and other taxes
collected by the national government. This decision
will increase the IRA share of local governments
by PHP 225.3 billion in 2022. The study proposes
that the IRA increase be sourced by unfunding
programs, activities, and projects (PAPs) in the
budget of some national government agencies
intended to deliver functions of LGUs under the
Local Government Code of 1991. It also underscores
the need to design an equalization grant to address
the horizontal fiscal imbalance across individual
LGUs within each local government level and the
matching grants program before 2022. Also, there
is a need to revisit the relationship between the
LGUs’ propensity to generate own-source revenue
and the size of their IRA.
Evaluation of the Effects of the
Performance-Based Bonus
Incentive Scheme
A follow-up to the 2019 process evaluation of the
Performance-based Bonus (PBB) scheme, this
study examines the possible effects of the PBB.
The findings suggest while the PBB has had some
design issues and implementation challenges, the
PBB is generally welcomed across the bureaucracy.
Further, there is evidence that the PBB has
contributed to boosting individual, team-level,

and agency-wide improvements in motivation
and productivity. The results also suggest that
PBB could be further re-designed to sharpen its
effects on public sector reform. It recommends its
continuation but with improvements to its design
and implementation, including a moratorium
on changes in PBB requirements, provision of
capacity-building support for lagging agencies,
and experimentation with incentives to support
sectoral development outcomes.
The Philippine Local Government
Water Sector
This study examines the regulatory structure of
the Philippine water sector, particularly for local
governments. Results show the need to address
overlaps in regulatory agencies’ mandates and
streamline and align economic and technical
regulation and operating standards. There is
also a need to improve investment coordination
within the sector to ensure efficient and strategic
investments. Another recommendation is to
develop a consolidated and complete database
of water service providers and key performance
indicators to better monitor water agencies’
performance. Political economy issues must also
be hurdled to avoid duplicative efforts or delayed
investments in water.
Analysis of the
2021 President’s Budget
The Philippines has been badly affected by the
coronavirus disease pandemic. Thus, this analysis
of the 2021 President’s Budget determines how
the pandemic has shaped the government’s
limited financial resources’ budgetary distribution,
focusing on the top six departments/recipients for
fiscal year (FY) 2021. It shows the high spending
priority given to social and economic services,
which is consistent with the government’s policy
pronouncements for FY 2021. Nevertheless, the
emphasis on these spending priorities creates
an expectation that the Department of Health
(DOH) and the Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD) will rank much higher
in the top 10 departments/recipients for FY
2021. The 2021 proposed budget gives higher
spending priority on the maintenance of peace
and order and national defense, which placed the
Department of the Interior and Local Government
and the Department of National Defense in a
higher spot than DOH and DSWD.
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 21 >
Philippine Local Government Public
Expenditure Review: A Survey
of National Government’s Local
Government Support Programs
This study examines national government’s support
programs for local governments, particularly for
devolved infrastructure services. In the past decade,
the top three programs in terms of budgetary
allocations are the Department of Public Works
and Highways’ Local Infrastructure Program, the
Department of Agriculture’s Farm to Market Road
programs, and the DILG’s Financial Subsidy to Local
Government Units (LGUs). These programs have
almost 100-percent budget utilization rates, yet
have lower utilization rates of local development
funds. These results underscore the need to
strengthen local government oversight, especially
if assistance programs will be discontinued in 2022
in light of the implementation of the Mandanas
ruling. Oversight agencies should ensure that local
governments spend on infrastructure using their
mandated local development fund.
Review of the “Build, Build, Build”
Program: Implications on the Philippine
Development Plan 2017–2022
This study aims to delve into the “Build, Build,
Build” program and the projects that comprise it
to examine their implications on the Philippine
Development Plan (PDP) 2017–2022 targets. It
finds that the latest list of infrastructure flagship
projects is responsive to PDP targets in the areas
of information and communications technology,
transport and mobility, water resources, and
power and energy. However, no major capital
projects address the PDP targets in the areas
of social infrastructure, technology adoption,
and innovation. Thus, attaining the relevant
PDP targets will depend mainly on priority
infrastructure projects in the Public Investment
Program (PIP) 2017–2022.
An Analysis of Regulatory Policies
on Solid Waste Management in the
Philippines: Ways Forward
This study looks into the implementation of
the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
Results show varying implementation templates
across study sites, reflecting different enabling
mechanisms and replicable initiatives, and
< 22 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

“The latest list of

infrastructure flagship projects
under the ‘Build, Build, Build’
program is responsive to
the Philippine Development
Plan 2017-2022 targets in
the areas of information and
communications technology,
transport and mobility, water
resources, and power and
energy. However, no major
capital projects address the
targets in the areas of social
infrastructure, technology
adoption, and innovation.”

mediocre policy grounding. Documented best
practices include the legal waste facility transition
of the Payatas dumpsite in Quezon City and
the organization of its informal economy; the
clustering of waste management service of
Teresa, Rizal, and its province-wide incentive
mechanism and partnership with construction
companies, and the market linkages for revenue
generation; and the strong partnership between
the LGU and civil society organization in San
Fernando, Pampanga.
Policy, Institutional, and Expenditure
Review of Bottom-up Approach
to Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management
The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction
Management (DRRM) Act of 2010 has led to
the passing of complementary legislation and
functional policy, bureaucratic, and institutional
augmentations, and directed government
budgeting and spending. This study looks into
the status and trends of public investment and
policy initiatives and bottom-up and participatory
mechanisms in the implementation of the DRRM
Act. Findings reveal suboptimal allocations
despite the abundance of fiscal resources in both
national and subnational governments regardless
of location and income levels. The low utilization
rates were largely attributed to unclear issuances
from oversight agencies and local administrations’
spending preferences.
Innovating Governance: Building
Resilience against COVID-19 Pandemic
and Other Risks
The COVID-19 pandemic is the most challenging
public health crisis the world has faced in a century.
It serves both as an eye-opener and an impetus
to leapfrog reforms to strengthen governance
systems and structures. This background paper
briefly scans recent literature of public sector
innovations and other efforts implemented
to enhance governance systems. The goal is
to gather insights valuable for the Philippines
to improve its governance strategies, improve
overall performance in service delivery, and build
resilience against risks in the long term.

“While social capital
and social inclusion are
important, other factors
like improved capabilities
and expansion of economic
opportunities in the
locality matter for the
achievement of economic
inclusion and improvement
of well-being.”
REGIONAL, URBAN AND
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Looking at Local Government
Resilience through Network Data
Envelopment Analysis
The study looks into the resilience of provincial
governance in the Philippines to disaster risk
using World Bank socioeconomic resiliency
estimates and cross-sectional data generated by
the DILG and the Philippine Statistics Authority
(PSA) during 2012-2013. It empirically shows
that disaster risk reduction and management
inputs at the provincial and subprovince levels
greatly contribute to improving socioeconomic
capacity and decreasing asset risk. However, the
decisionmaking unit (DMU) efficiency scores
varied across the different subregional domains.
A majority of provincial sub-DMUs also got higher
efficiency ratings than their municipal/community
sub-DMU counterparts, implying the need to
rebalance support and disaster resilience-related
initiatives at the subprovincial levels.
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 23 >
The Structure of Social Relations
in the Community: An Empirical
Analysis for Achieving Social and
Economic Inclusion
This paper examines the extent of social networking
between the poor and other segments of the
community. It finds that the poor are integrated
into the rest of the community, suggesting
opportunities for productive interaction among
the different groups. What seems to be the issue
is the quality of their social capital and their
closer linkage also to poor households. Another
issue is their low ability to harness their social
capital, perhaps because of a lack of education or
capabilities. The evidence of homophily suggests
the need for greater, more meaningful interactions
among different clusters/segments. Another
important aspect is the nature of economic
activities present in the area. The paper concludes
that while social capital and social inclusion are
important, other factors like improved capabilities
and expansion of economic opportunities in the
locality matter for the achievement of economic
inclusion and improvement of well-being.
< 24 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

“Those who live in

the urban or more
affluent areas,
neither too old nor
too young to utilize
the technology,
male, more skilled or
educated, and have
high levels of trust
have better access to
computers and
the internet.”

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, Digital Divide and the Platform

AND INNOVATION
Toward Measuring the Platform
Economy: Concepts, Indicators,
and Issues
This study defines platforms, typologies, and
related definitions and classifications, describes
drivers of value creation and capture in
platforms, and discusses policy implications.
It also tackles issues on data collection arising
from the complex and cross-border nature of
digital platforms. At the same time, it proposes
possible approaches for obtaining data and
indicators to measure the platform economy
to allow policymakers, businesses, and the
public to understand better the socioeconomic
implications of increasing digitization and the
rise of the digital economy. These approaches
include re-engineering existing surveys conducted
by the PSA (e.g., labor force surveys, business
surveys, household and business surveys on
ICT usage) and supplementing traditional data
collection with alternative data sources, such as
web scraping.
Economy: Looking for the Connection
from the Asian Experience
This study presents evidence of digital divide
in Asia. Data from several countries show that
certain segments of the population have better
access (motivational, material, skill, and usage)
to computers and the internet. These include
those who live in the urban or more affluent
areas, neither too old nor too young to utilize the
technology, male, more skilled/educated, and have
high levels of trust. To address the inequality that
digital platforms may cause, policy interventions
should address the provision of material access
and other forms of divide.
Understanding the Costs and Benefits
of Digital Platforms and the Implications
for Policymaking and Regulation
This paper examines how digital platforms work
and reviews their impacts across different sectors.
The emergence of various digital platforms and
the technologies that drive them will continue

to shape the Philippine economy and society in
extraordinary ways. How well the country can
manage the risks and exploit digital platforms’
opportunities largely depends on finding the
appropriate role of the government in the platform
economy and the quality of regulatory governance.
Apart from creating an enabling environment to
encourage the growth of digital platforms, the
government’s role as regulator is crucial. There
must be close collaboration among the agencies
involved in different aspects of digital regulation.
Whether or not the government should operate
digital platforms must be carefully studied to
ensure that such initiatives are sustainable.
Costs and Benefits of New Disciplines
on Electronic Commerce
In January 2020, the Philippines joined the
World Trade Organization Joint Statement
Initiative on E-commerce that seeks to develop a
multilateral agreement on trade-related aspects
of e-commerce. This paper explores the costs and
benefits of possible trade disciplines, particularly
the moratorium on customs duties on electronic
transmissions. It provides estimates of the foregone
revenues. There are practical difficulties and policy
constraints that could limit the actual intake from
tariffs. Various barriers to cross-border data flows
could also adversely affect not only data-intensive
industries but also the economy more broadly.
Thus, the country should support trade rules
that facilitate cross-border data flows. Also, the
government must invest in digital infrastructure
for an efficient and effective tax system fit for the
digital economy.
Emerging Tax Issues in the
Digital Economy
This study reviews existing literature on emerging
tax issues in the digital economy and their
implications for the Philippines. The issues and
challenges in taxation in the digital economy
stem from its complex and multifaceted nature.
Reaching a common understanding and
measurement of the size and impact of the
digital economy is critical in devising a tax regime.
Issues in scoping and measurement of the digital
economy and digital infrastructure gaps also need
to be addressed. It is essential to eliminate these
barriers and address the policy gaps to enhance
the country’s digital capacity.
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 25 >
TRADE AND INDUSTRY,
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY
FTA Utilization of Philippine Imports
Free trade agreements (FTAs) enhance trade by
reducing or eliminating barriers, such as tariffs
on imported goods. The difference between
the preferential tariff rate under an FTA and the
most-favored-nation (MFN) rate can be significant
enough to encourage trade under an FTA. The
Philippines has signed several FTAs and enjoyed a
reduction and even elimination of tariffs on specific
commodities. This research aims to understand
the relationship between preferential margin and
FTA utilization rates. Findings suggest that the
preferential margin is positively associated with
the utilization rates for FTA agreements. Results
are found to be relatively robust after controlling
for different fixed effects variables. Among the
Philippines’ FTA partners, trade margin is revealed
to be significant in increasing imports from its
neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations. Furthermore, the study found a positive
and significant relationship between margin and
imports of nearly all commodity groups.
Joint Feasibility Study on the Possible
Economic Cooperation Agreement
between the Philippines and Taiwan
This two-year study investigates the potential
of developing a bilateral economic agreement
that would further enhance the Philippines’
and Taiwan’s economic relations and remove
bilateral trade, investment, and other cooperation
barriers. Recommendations on the overall
economic cooperation agreement (ECA) include
seeking a comprehensive ECA that encompasses
liberalization and facilitation of trade and
investment and economic and industrial
cooperation, establishing a joint working group
comprised of representatives from public and
private agencies, and establishing operational
mechanisms to harmonize trade policies and
improve bilateral economic ties. Meanwhile,
recommendations on the sectoral industrial
cooperation include, among others, developing
industrial cooperation programs to attract
Taiwanese firms to the Philippines, address
trade-distorting nontariff measures, improving
ease of doing business, and enhancing industrial
development cooperation in accordance with
development needs and mid- to long-term
industrial plans.
< 26 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
“Free trade
agreement imports
have a positive and
significant direct
effect on industry
growth and labor
productivity.”
Impact of FTA on Philippine Industries:
Analysis of Network Effects
The impact of FTAs has long been studied in
the Philippines, but the network effects of FTA
trade shocks and their resulting impact on
industry performance have not been explored
as much. This study contributes to filling that
gap by calculating the direct impact of trade
agreements on various sectors’ performance. The
results show FTA imports have a positive and
significant direct effect on industry growth and
labor productivity. The network effects, however,
are not statistically significant for real gross
value-added growth. The direct effect on
employment is negative and statistically significant,
but the network effects would temper this effect
because the upstream effect arising from customers
is positive and statistically significant. The shock
also has a positive and statistically significant direct
effect on labor productivity, which implies that
increasing imports increases labor productivity of
Philippine sectors.
How Does the Philippines Fare in
Meeting ASEAN Economic Community
Vision 2025?
This study focuses on the ASEAN Economic
Community (AEC) Blueprint 2025 and assesses
how the Philippines has fared in achieving the
blueprint’s key result areas. The results suggest the
country is generally on track and is progressing
in the right direction. Considering the COVID-19
pandemic, the Philippines may call for an update of
the AEC goals and strategies ahead of 2025 to deal
with the pandemic’s effects. There is also a need
to reevaluate the Philippines’ plans and indicators
to capture the pandemic’s impacts. While NEDA
is actively assessing the PDP indicators, there is a
need for the entire government, including local
governments, to update their development plans
incorporating some AEC targets.
Exploring the Feasibility of
Content Analysis in Understanding
International Cooperation in APEC
This paper explores the concepts and potential
uses of content analysis in understanding
international cooperation. For the Philippines,
information on the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) is scattered across different
agencies and is collected through the APEC Policy
Tools. The collection, however, is highly dependent
on agency reports and does not accurately reflect
APEC activities. Content analysis as a research tool
transforms qualitative information that is present
in these materials into quantitative data, thus
can be used to supplement existing quantitative
information or the lack thereof. With the aid of
available tools, such as STATA and NVivo, utilizing
available documents and databases can help
produce patterns of information that can explain
how APEC and its economies behave, as governed
by different issues within and outside the region.
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 27 >

PHILIPPINE APEC STUDY CENTER NETWORK

The Philippine APEC Study Center Network (PASCN) is a regular component project of PIDS. Established
on November 23, 1996 by virtue of Administrative Order 303, it is the Philippines’ response to the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Education Initiative that called on member-economies
to foster regional cooperation among higher education and research institutes on key regional economic
challenges. PASCN is one of the APEC Study Centers (ASCs) that constitute the APEC Study Centers
Consortium (ASCC).

PASCN MEMBERS:

(LEAD INSTITUTION
AND SECRETARIAT)

MAJOR PROGRAMS:

UNDER THE RESEARCH PROGRAM, a study titled
“Exploring the Feasibility of Content Analysis
in Understanding International Cooperation in
APEC” was completed and released as a PIDS
Discussion Paper (DP 2020-58) in 2020. Meanwhile,
an ongoing undertaking titled “Towards MSMEs
Internationalization: Study on the Final Review of
the Boracay Action Agenda (BAA)” is carried out
by PIDS. Initiated by the Department of Trade and
Industry - Bureau of International Trade Relations
(DTI-BITR), this study aims to review and assess
APEC’s overall progress in carrying out the BAA
and develop recommendations to advance APEC’s
work on micro, small, and medium enterprises
(MSMEs), including a possible new framework
for MSME internationalization. In the pipeline is
“Utilizing Data Science to Improve the APEC Policy
Tools”, a collaborative research by Dr. Brenda
Quismorio (UA&P) and Mr. Raymond Freth Lagria
(UPD). It will form part of the Management and
Expansion of the APEC Policy Tools, a database
turned over to PIDS by the APEC-National
Organizing Council in 2015.
Under the Thesis and Dissertation Assistance
Program, grantees Madonna Daquigan and Maria
Kristina Paler completed their research. The
condensed versions of their master’s thesis and
dissertation were circulated as Policy Notes (PN),
namely, “Mitigating Climate Change through
< 28 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
Mangrove Forest” (PN 2020-08) and “Are Marine-
protected Areas Sheltered from Plastic Pollution?”
(PN 2020-09), respectively.
Under the Information Dissemination and
Publication Program, two 2019 completed
research grants were featured in the 2020 PIDS
webinar series: “Aligning Supply of and Demand
for Data Science and Analytics Workforce” (June 25)
and “Assessing the Readiness of Filipino
Professionals to Participate in the Mobility of
Skilled Labor in ASEAN” (November 12). Aside
from the aforementioned DP and PNs, an
issue under the peer-reviewed PIDS Research
Paper Series was released, titled “Assessing
the Alignment of Data Science and Analytics
(DSA)-related Undergraduate Programs with
the Emerging Demands for DSA Workforce”
(RPS 2020-04), a study completed in 2019. In
addition, a 2018 completed paper was published
in the Philippine Journal of Development (PJD):
“Effect of Supply Chain Integration on Business
Performance and Competitiveness of Philippine
SMEs” by Elaine Q. Borazon and Vivien T. Supangco
(UP Diliman) (PJD, Vol. 44 No. 2b). Another
paper co-written by a researcher from a PASCN
member-institution was also published in the PJD:
“Possible Effects of China’s Belt and Road Initiative
on Philippine Trade and Investments” by Marissa
Maricosa Paderon (ADMU) and Ricardo B. Ang III
(Georgia State University, USA) (PJD Vol. 44 No. 2c).
A policy note titled “Aligning Higher Education
with Demands for Data Science Workforce”
(PN 2020-04) was released based on an earlier
circulated DP (2019-34).
Moreover, the PASCN continued to network and
participate in the annual ASCC conference. A virtual
conference (e-ASCC Conference 2020) was convened
on September 23 by the Malaysian APEC Study
Centre (MASC) at the Institute of Malaysian and
International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia (UKM), on the theme “Towards an
Inclusive, Sustainable Growth and Shared Prosperity
Post-Pandemic”. Three of the 17 presentations were
from PASCN member-institutions:
Panel 4: Inclusive Economic Participation through
Digital Economy and Technology
• Mitigating Excessive Labor Migration of Nurses:
A Theoretical Framework by Tereso Tullao Jr.
(DLSU) and John Paolo Rivera (AIM)
• Developing a Strategy for Philippine Tourism
Recovery Post-pandemic: A Systems Thinking
Approach by Fernando Martin Roxas, John
Paolo Rivera, and Eylla Laire Gutierrez (AIM)
Panel 5: Driving Innovative Sustainability
• Food Safety Management and Compliance
among Selected Cacao Enterprises in Davao
City by Yzabela Andrea Lim, Melodee Marciana
De Castro, Dinah Pura Depositario, and Cherry
Lou Nuñez (UPLB)
The conference concluded with a Roundtable
Discussion on APEC Beyond 2020 attended by over
80 participants.
Through its Technical Assistance Program,
the PASCN continued to provide support
to government agencies, particularly the
Department of Foreign Affairs and the DTI by
participating in the virtual meetings of the Technical
Board on APEC Matters (TBAM) (TBAM2: June 18,
TBAM3: October 19, TBAM4: December 3) and
the subcluster on Regional Economic Integration,
Trade, and Investment (TBAM-REITI) and DTI-APEC
Implementing Committee (DTI-AIC) (September 11).
Under the TBAM-REITI, the PASCN project director
and two PIDS research fellows are members of the
Virtual Working Group on Digital Trade.
Specific technical assistance inputs/comments
were provided to the following: (1) Virtual Senior
Officials’ Meeting on APEC Ministers Responsible
for Trade Statement on COVID-19 (May 7);
(2) 62nd Initiative for ASEAN Integration Task Force
(IAITF) Meeting and 10th Consultation Meeting
of IAITF with ASEAN Partners (September 28);
and (3) Implementation Plan of the ASEAN
Comprehensive Recovery Framework (October 15).
The PASCN Secretariat also participated in the
following consultation meetings with network
members and relevant TBAM agencies to discuss
possible collaborative research projects for APEC
and/or local and international donor funding:
(1) Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (UPD),
MSU, and UP-Davao Meeting on Bangsamoro
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao issues
(February 17); (2) DTI-BPS Proposal on Improving
Transparency of Pre-packaged Food Packaging
and Labelling Laws, Regulations and Best Practices:
Conference and Compendium (February 17); and
(3) DTI-BITR on Regional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership Project (December 11).
For its operational matters, the Secretariat
organized a Steering Committee meeting on
March 3 where the 2019 PASCN accomplishment
report was presented, and the work plan for 2020
was agreed upon.
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 29 >

KNOWLEDGE

DISSEMINATION
IN 2020, CHALLENGED by the disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the resulting lockdowns, and
the shift to alternative work arrangements, the Institute intensified the use of online and web-based tools
in knowledge dissemination. Its website and subsites and social media accounts provided up-to-date
information on the Institute’s knowledge products and services. As early as May, the Institute shifted to
webinars as a substitute to face-to-face fora.
< 30 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
PUBLICATIONS
Books
In 2020, PIDS released the book, Navigating
the New Globalization: Local Actions for Global
Challenges, a compilation of the presentations
made by esteemed experts during the Fifth
Annual Public Policy Conference (APPC). It centers
on the discussion of globalization’s impact on
Philippine trade, environment, public health,
equity, social cohesion, and information sharing.
The proceedings aim to provide government
leaders, policymakers, the academe, and the
public a valuable reference material on the
New Globalization.
Research Paper Series
Five issues were published in the Research Paper
Series, the Institute’s peer-reviewed monograph
series: (1) RPS 2020-01 on Vulnerability to
Poverty in the Philippines, which estimates the
vulnerability level of households to income poverty
and highlights the importance of using both
poverty and vulnerability estimates in government
programs; (2) RPS 2020-02 on Demographic
Dividend: Trends and Prospects, which
documents the country’s historical experience of
the demographic dividend using new National
Transfer Account time-series estimates; (3) RPS
2020-03 on Nontariff Measures in the Philippines,
which studies the nontariff measures imposed by
the different government agencies in the country;
(4) RPS 2020-04 on Assessing the Alignment
of Data Science and Analytics (DSA)-Related
Undergraduate Programs with the Emerging
Demands for DSA Workforce, which reveals
the misalignment between the demand and
the supply of DSA workforce in the Philippines;
and (5) RPS 2020-05 on The Assessment of the
Free Irrigation Service Act, which finds that free
irrigation had the potential to benefit millions of
individuals, although it only led to small savings in
palay production cost.
Philippine Journal of Development
Volume 44, No. 2 was released during the year.
Featured in this issue were the following articles:
(1) Role of Subjective Perception and Household
Migration Culture in the Formation of Migration
Intentions: Evidence from a Rural Village in the
Philippines; (2) Effect of Supply Chain Integration
on Business Performance and Competitiveness
of Philippine SMEs; (3) Enhancing the Philippine
Legal, Regulatory, and Policy Framework for
Distributed Energy Resources; and (4) Possible
Effects of China’s Belt and Road Initiative on
Philippine Trade and Investments.
Economic Policy Monitor
The 2019-2020 Economic Policy Monitor (EPM)
on Innovating Governance: Building Resilience
against the COVID-19 Pandemic and Other Risks
was released in 2020. An annual publication
started in 2010, the EPM tackles present and future
development challenges that have consequences
for the Philippines. It also provides an assessment
of the country’s economic performance in the
past year and the outlook for the current year, as
well as an analysis of policies implemented in key
economic sectors.
Policy Notes Series
Nine Policy Notes were published on various topics
such as, but not limited to, environment, pollution,
climate change, mining, irrigation, unpaid work,
and impact of government policies, such as the
Performance-based Bonus scheme.
To ensure the quality and integrity of
PIDS knowledge products, research
outputs submitted for publication
were subjected to iThenticate
plagiarism check. These publications
include Discussion Papers (DPs),
Policy Notes (PNs), and manuscripts
for the Philippine Journal of
Development (PJD). For 2020,
77 manuscripts were subjected to
iThenticate (59 DPs, 8 book chapters,
6 PNs, and 4 PJD articles). Similarities
reported were properly addressed
by the authors prior to the release of
their publications.

Discussion Paper Series
Fifty-nine Discussion Papers were released online
in 2020 with topics encompassing agriculture,
education, environment and natural resources,
finance, health, gender and development, housing,
trade and industry, innovation, and impacts of the
COVID-19 pandemic. The PIDS Discussion Paper
Series constitutes studies in preliminary form
circulated online to make them immediately
available to stakeholders, encourage discussion,
and solicit comments for their further refinement.
Development Research News
Four issues of this quarterly newsletter were
published in 2020. The banner stories underscored
the current mismatch between the skills learned
by the graduates and those needed by the industry
today, the importance of a strategic response to
contain the COVID-19 pandemic and to mitigate
its adverse impacts on the Philippine economy, the
fiscal consequence of increasing local government
units’ share in the national taxes starting 2022
when the Supreme Court ruling on the petition
to revisit the computation of the internal revenue
allotment takes effect, and the country’s poor
information systems and infrastructure that are
crippling the country’s response to the pandemic.
See Annex C for a complete list of PIDS publications
produced in 2020.
CIRCULATION AND
DISTRIBUTION
Except for online publications that do not have
print versions, such as the Discussion Paper
Series and PIDS Updates, print copies of PIDS
publications were distributed to the Institute’s key
networks from the national and local governments,
academe, Congress, nongovernment organizations,
international organizations, and private sector.
PIDS publications were distributed to regular
recipients and subscribers as follows: books
(472 recipients), Economic Policy Monitor
(472 recipients), Research Paper Series (493
recipients), Philippine Journal of Development
(513 recipients), Policy Notes (956 recipients), and
Development Research News (1,763 recipients).
The number of recipients of Policy Notes, Research
Paper Series, and books varies based on the
subject/topic of each issue/volume.
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 31 >
Library Services
The PIDS Library continued to support PIDS staff
and other non-PIDS clients remotely. Links to
free databases were regularly emailed to PIDS
researchers to help in their research needs.
The Institute subscribed to JSTOR beginning
August 2020. Ten new PIDS books were added to
the library collection.
ONLINE AND
SOCIAL MEDIA
PIDS website
The PIDS website continued to serve as a
one-stop-shop for the full text of PIDS publications,
press releases, past and future events, seminar
presentations and videos, infographics, and
comments of PIDS senior researchers on proposed
laws submitted by lawmakers from both chambers
(for details, see the Policy Influence section of this
report), among other contents.
The PIDS website had an average of 1,537 unique
daily visits in 2020, from 1,562 in 2019 and 1,191
in 2018.
PIDS Facebook
The PIDS Facebook was regularly updated with
posts about new publications, infographics,
seminar announcements, press releases, live stream
of PIDS fora, and meaningful quotes delivered by
PIDS resource speakers during seminars. In 2020,
the Institute had 462 posts on its Facebook page.
Gaining an additional 9,000+ new followers in
2020, the Institute had a total of 28,472 organic
followers on its Facebook account by the end of
2020 from only 19,000+ in 2019.
PIDS Twitter
The PIDS Twitter account was regularly updated
with tweets about PIDS webinars and information
on new publications and forthcoming events.
The Institute also continued livetweeting the
highlights of its fora. A total of 1,926 tweets were
made in 2020.
PIDS Twitter followers increased to 2,214 in 2020
from 1,890 in 2019.
< 32 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA INITIATIVES
Online Publications
Twelve issues of the PIDS Updates were released.
Sent to PIDS regular contacts and subscribers, this
monthly electronic newsletter is a compilation of
newly released publications, forthcoming events,
database updates, press releases, infographics,
and videos.
The Institute also continued the “Policy Issue at a
Glance”, an online infographic that features policy
issues and research data culled from completed
PIDS studies. The chosen format is intended to
reach the online community and disseminate PIDS
studies in a more catchy and easy-to-understand
format. It is accessible through the PIDS website
and social media pages. Six issues were released
during the year: (1) How is the Philippines Faring
in SDG Achievement? (Goal 8: Decent work and
economic growth); (2) Fiscal and Governance
Gaps among Municipalities in the Philippines;
(3) Life After College: How Are Our Graduates Doing?;
(4) Leveraging Services for Regional Development
in PH; (5) Do We Have Enough Health Workers in
PH?; and (6) How Can PH Meet the Rising Demand
for Data Workers?
A weekly online series called “Fact Friday”
commenced in January 2018. This series features
teasers of findings of PIDS studies to encourage
PIDS followers to read the full study. Each issue is
circulated through the PIDS Facebook and Twitter
pages. Fifty-two Fact Friday issues were released
in 2020
Also, a new weekly infographic series called
“PIDS InfoBits” was launched in December 2020.
Released every Monday, each issue features
bite-size information from various PIDS studies.
Three issues were released in 2020.
Annex D lists the electronic and social media
materials produced by the Institute in 2020.
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 33 >

2020 EVENTS

SEMINARS AND EVENTS See Annex E for a complete list of PIDS seminars
and events.
The Institute organized and conducted 31 events,
27 of which were held virtually. Most of these
events featured various completed research
projects. The rest were virtual fora in celebration PRESS RELEASES
of the Development Policy Research Month (see
page 40). Sixty-four press releases based on the activities
and completed studies of the Institute were
Some of these events were co-organized with disseminated to the media and posted on the
international partners, such as the World Bank, PIDS website.
Asian Development Bank, and the United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and See Annex F for details.
the Pacific.
< 34 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
KNOWLEDGE
DATABASES
Socioeconomic Research Portal for the
Philippines (serp-p.pids.gov.ph)
The Socioeconomic Research Portal for the
Philippines (SERP-P) is a knowledge database of
socioeconomic materials produced by PIDS, other
Philippine academic and research institutions,
government agencies, and international
organizations. Its establishment in the year 2000
is in line with the mandates of PIDS to provide
a common link between the government and
research institutions and to establish a repository
of socioeconomic research information. More than
50 partner-institutions from academe, research,
government, international organizations, and civil
society comprise the SERP-P Network.
In 2020, 244 new publications were added to
the SERP-P database. These publications were
contributed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
(BSP), Congressional Policy and Budget Research
Department (CPBRD), De La Salle University – Angelo
King Institute (DLSU-AKI), National Tax Research
Council (NTRC), Silliman University, SEAMEO
Regional Center for Educational Innovation and
Technology (INNOTECH), SEAMEO Southeast Asian
Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research
in Agriculture (SEARCA), and PIDS.
2,763
AVERAGE UNIQUE
VISITS PER DAY
(from 1,756 in 2019 and 980 in 2018)
Economic and Social Databases
(econdb.pids.gov.ph) (gis.pids.gov.ph)
PIDS continuously updates its online economic
and social databases, namely, Economic and
Social Database (ESD) and GIS-based Philippine
Socioeconomic Profile. ESD stores and maintains
Philippine economic and social indicators both
at the national and subnational levels, with
some indicators presented in long-time series.
The GIS-based Philippine Socioeconomic Profile,
meanwhile, contains spatial data on economic and
With these additions, the portal had a total of 7,093
socioeconomic materials as of December 31, 2020.
SERP-P had an average of 2,763 unique visits
per day in 2020, 57 percent higher than in 2019.
The increase could mean greater awareness of
SERP-P among its potential users. It can also be
attributed to the shift to the work-from-home
arrangement and online learning, which require
easy-to-access online resources.
Moreover, the production of the electronic
newsletters SERP-P News and SERP-P Monthly
continued in 2020. Each issue of SERP-P News put
into the spotlight a specific socioeconomic issue
and related publications available on the SERP-P
database. It also featured a researcher and SERP-P
partner-institution. Three issues of SERP-P News
were produced in 2020 and featured irrigation,
healthcare services, and local governance. Partner-
institutions featured were UP Center for Integrative
and Development Studies, UP School of Economics,
and UP National College of Public Administration
and Governance. Featured researchers included
Dr. Agnes Rola, Prof. Orville Solon, and Dr. Alex
Brillantes Jr. Meanwhile, SERP-P Monthly contained
new SERP-P resources, upcoming events of SERP-P
partner-institutions, featured publications, and
the top 10 most downloaded publications in SERP-P
for the month. Nine issues of SERP-P Monthly were
produced and circulated to the SERP-P Network.
7,093
SOCIOECONOMIC MATERIALS
BY END 2020
(from 7,049 in 2019)
social indicators and core local poverty indicators
from the Community-Based Monitoring System,
presented in geographical format. These indicators
may be viewed at the national, regional, provincial,
district, municipal, and barangay levels. Both
databases are constantly upgraded to make their
interfaces more user-friendly and their contents
more relevant to the research community and the
general public.
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 35 >

PIDS PUBLICATION (JANUARY–DECEMBER 2020)

DOWNLOADS
17,693
total number of downloads
WHY DOWNLOAD
made by TO USE THE PUBLICATION

6,293
individuals

WHO DOWNLOADS
AGE GENDER

OCCUPATION EDUCATION

WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT PIDS PUBLICATIONS, WEBSITE, OR THE INSTITUTE

Some comments received
“The website is super helpful, especially to graduate students like me who seek insights or
inputs from my fellow researchers.”
“Thanks to PIDS for the valuable research on policy issues affecting various segments
of society—from individuals, families, farmers, workers to industries. The research is
informative, enlightening, authoritative, and useful.”
“PIDS is much respected for being the government sector’s only think tank. Every
publication of PIDS is always a much-awaited one.”
“The studies and publications of PIDS are very helpful as reliable references in the conduct
of studies and evaluation of policies, programs, and projects. These knowledge products
are also very accessible through the PIDS portal. Congratulations!”
< 36 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

CITATION
OF PIDS STUDIES

In other publications

CITATION IS A GOOD measure of utilization. Compared to a downloaded publication whose actual use is
uncertain, a citation clearly shows that a publication served as a reference in writing a paper. Beginning
the third quarter of 2020, the Institute started to monitor the citation of its studies in other publications.

Based on RePEc (Research Papers in Economics), an open-access portal of economic literature with over
three million items that can be downloaded in full text, 645 PIDS studies had a total of 1,859 citations
as of December 31, 2020. The following table shows the breakdown by publication type. The number of
citations is from the time the publication was released.

Citation monitoring via RePEc (Research Papers in Economics) - ideas.repec.org

October November December Total
No. of No. of No. of No. of
Publication type No. of No. of No. of
publications publications publications citations
citations citations citations
cited cited cited

Discussion
414 1,249 15 18 13 25 1,292
Papers
Working Papers 70 160 0 0 0 0 160
Research Paper
23 73 2 3 0 0 76
Series
Philippine
Journal of 123 317 6 11 2 3 331
Development
Total 630 1,799 23 32 15 28 1,859

In November, the Institute extended its citation monitoring to Google Scholar. Using this search engine,
the Institute monitored a total of 1,009 PIDS studies with 10,425 citations as of December 31, 2020.

Citation monitoring via Google Scholar - scholar.google.com

November December Total
No. of No. of No. of
Publication type No. of No. of
publications publications citations
citations citations
cited cited

Discussion Papers 372 2,873 343 4,307 7,180

Economic Policy Monitor 5 24 1 1 25
Philippine Journal of Development 48 360 60 863 1,223
Policy Notes 87 437 89 574 1,011
Research Paper Series 19 198 26 410 608
Books 6 43 28 335 378
Total 537 3,935 547 6,490 10,425
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 37 >

In the media

The media serves as a partner of the Institute in knowledge dissemination. Mentions or citations of a study
by the media in print and online newspapers can help generate awareness that can lead to the study’s
utilization by policymakers, researchers, and other potential users.

From January to December 2020, 661 articles published in both print and online media cited PIDS, its
studies, or researchers.

Citations in the media, 2020

100
100
91

80
66
63
60
60 54 52 51
47 49

40

20 17
11

0
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Media citations of PIDS, 2010–2020

800

700 661

600
524
507 501
472 489
500
399
400 352
328

300 238

200 142

100 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
< 38 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

PIDS CORNERS
TWENTY-FIVE PIDS Corners across the country (13 in Luzon, 6 in the Visayas, and 6 in Mindanao) were set
up since the project was launched in July 2006. The PIDS Corners, usually established in a university or an
LGU-based library, serve as links between local libraries and the PIDS for dissemination and promotion of
PIDS publications and web-based resources. The Corners are regularly supplied with free PIDS publications
for use by the students, faculty members, employees, and other decisionmakers in the locality.

In 2020, a total of 2,417 students, faculty members, and other library patrons used the PIDS publications in
21 PIDS Corners—as reported by their librarians. Due to the pandemic and implementation of community
quarantines, most libraries were closed, particularly in the second half of 2020.

25 2,417
PIDS CORNERS CLIENTS SERVED IN 2020

1. Mariano Marcos State University, Batac City, Ilocos Norte

1
2. Cagayan State University, Carig, Tuguegarao City
3. University of the Philippines, Baguio City 2
4. Central Luzon State University, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija 3
5. Knowledge for Development Center, House of Representatives,
Quezon City 4
6. University of Rizal System, Antipolo City Campus 5
7. De La Salle University, Dasmariñas City 6
7 9
8. Dasmariñas Public Library 8
9. Southern Luzon State University, Lucban, Quezon
10 11
10. City College of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro
12
11. Bicol University, Legazpi City, Albay
12. Sorsogon State College, Sorsogon City
15
13. Central Philippines University, Iloilo City
14. Bacolod City Public Library 13
14
15. Eastern Visayas State University, Tacloban City, Leyte
16
16. University of San Carlos, Talamban Campus, Cebu City 17
17. Bohol Provincial Library and Information Center, Tagbilaran25City 18
18. Silliman University, Dumaguete City 19
19. Butuan City Public Library 21 20
20. NEDA 10 Knowledge Center, Cagayan De Oro City 22

21. Bukidnon State University, Malaybalay City 23

24
22. Mindanao State University, Marawi City
23. University of Southeastern Philippines, Davao City
24. Western Mindanao State University, Zamboanga City
25. Palawan State University, Puerto Princesa City

DEVELOPMENT
POLICY
RESEARCH
MONTH
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC has caught the world
off guard, putting to the test the capacity and
readiness of countries and their governments to
deal with a crisis of such magnitude.
In the Philippines, the pandemic has unveiled
major weaknesses in governance systems and
structures, namely, the lack of coordination and
synergy between and among various levels of
government, the lack of protocols or manual of
operation to deal with a similar crisis, weak and
outdated information systems, and the lack of
technically capable workforce in the public sector.
These were tackled during the 2020 Development
Policy Research Month (DPRM) celebration, which
carried the theme “Bouncing Back Together:
Innovating Governance for the New Normal” or,
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 39 >
in Filipino, “Makabagong Pamamahala para
sa Sama-samang Pagbangon sa New Normal”,
to underscore the importance of innovating
governance across all sectors of society to steer
the country toward the path of renewed growth
and dynamism.
Specifically, it called the government to transform
itself into one that is agile and innovative to be
able to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic and
other similar threats, such as climate change, food
insecurity, and economic crisis. It also urged the
public sector to create an environment conducive
to learning and innovation; strengthen the
capacities of the civil service through continuous
professional development, a reward and incentive
system, and digital smart systems for more
efficient service delivery; and enhance human
< 40 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
capital formation through more efficient access to
healthcare services, broad-based access to quality
education, and effective social protection systems.
It also encouraged other sectors to do their
share in restoring the economy and adjusting
to the new normal. Notably, it emphasized the
need for the business sector, academe, and
civil society to aim for organizational agility by
reshaping their strategy, structures, processes,
people, and technology. It likewise urged the
public to be adaptive and innovative and to have
an entrepreneurial mindset and the initiative to
upskill themselves.
The PIDS leads the country in celebrating the DPRM
every September to promote and draw awareness
and appreciation of the importance of policy
research in nation-building. Pursuant to Presidential
Proclamation 247, the month-long celebration aims
to cultivate a strong culture of research and research
use among decisionmakers and the general public
and improve the public’s research and information
literacy of socioeconomic issues.
Given restrictions on face-to-face events, the
DPRM 2020 celebration was held virtually. It
kicked off with a virtual press conference on
September 1, where government officials shared
their insights on local governance innovations,
institutional innovations, financial technology, and
digital inclusion amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the panelists were National Economic
and Development Authority Assistant Secretary
Carlos Abad Santos, Department of Budget
and Management Assistant Secretary Rolando
Toledo, Makati City Mayor Mar-Len Abigail Binay,
and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Assistant
Governor Iluminada Sicat.
As part of the month-long celebration, the PIDS and
the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA),
in partnership with the Ateneo de Davao University
(AdDU), conducted the Sixth Mindanao Policy
Research Forum (MPRF) on September 18 to
gather insights and recommendations of leaders
and experts on how Mindanaoans can move
forward and bounce back from the pandemic.
The virtual forum, which AdDu hosted through
its University Research Council, centered on
the theme “Bouncing Back in the New Normal
through Countryside Development and Agricultural
Resilience” to emphasize the significant role of the
agriculture sector in sustaining food production and
improving economic recovery amid the pandemic.
DPRM Steering Committee 2020
Chair:
PIDS
Members (permanent):
• Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
• Civil Service Commission
• Department of the Interior and
Local Government
• National Economic and Development Authority
• Philippine Information Agency
• Presidential Management Staff
• Congressional Policy and Budget
Research Department
• Senate Economic and Planning Office
Members (additional):
• Department of Health
• Department of Information and
Communications Technology
• Department of Social Welfare and Development
The DPRM culminated with the Annual Public
Policy Conference (APPC) four-part webinar
series on September 15, 17, 22, and 24. The series
featured presentations of foreign and local experts
on topics, such as institutional innovation, civil
service reforms, e-government, and smart solutions,
among others (please see separate article).
Just like in past celebrations, the Institute invited
national government agencies, research and
academic institutions, private sector agencies,
nongovernment organizations, and all the local
government units in the country to join and
support the DPRM by displaying the DPRM banner/
streamer within their office premises, sharing
the DPRM and APPC websites and promotional
materials with their stakeholders, and organizing
activities or events related to the theme or policy
research. The Civil Service Commission and the
Department of the Interior and Local Government
issued memorandum circulars urging government
agencies and local government units, respectively,
to participate in the DPRM celebration.
A total of 41 institutions from various sectors
participated in the celebration. See Annex G for
the list.

SIXTH ANNUAL
PUBLIC POLICY
CONFERENCE
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC would probably go
down in history as one of the worst public health
crises the world has ever experienced. Not only did
it result in millions of lives lost globally, but it also
left countries and economies paralyzed. Countries,
both developed and developing, grappled with
containing the rapid spread of the virus, with
their respective governments instituting different
measures—from lockdowns, travel restrictions,
social distancing, to wearing of masks and face
shields, and other safety protocols. Businesses,
schools, and offices were forced to close, and
people had to stay in their homes for months.
In short, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered
people’s lives in many ways unimaginable before.
In the Philippines, the pandemic is a wake-up
call, especially for the government, to shift to a
new brand of governance that is responsive to the
needs of the time. The government’s response has
exposed major structural and governance gaps.
These include the lack of coordination and synergy
between and among various levels of government,
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 41 >
the lack of protocols or manual of operation
to deal with a similar crisis, weak and outdated
information systems, and the lack of technically
capable workforce in the public sector.
Thus, during the Sixth Annual Public Policy
Conference (APPC), the main and culminating
activity of the 2020 DPRM led by PIDS, best
practices on how to address these gaps were
put into the spotlight. Focusing on the theme
“Bouncing Back Together: Innovating Governance
for the New Normal”, which was also the theme
of the DPRM, the conference highlighted the
importance of innovating governance across all
sectors of society to steer the country toward the
path of renewed growth and dynamism.
Four webinars were held on September 15, 17, 22,
and 24 on the following topics: governance innovation
in the public sector, institutional innovations, civil
service reforms, and smart solutions. International
and local experts were invited to present country
cases, experiences, and analyses.
< 42 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
During the opening program, PIDS President
Celia Reyes highlighted the need for an agile and
innovative government to thrive under the so-called
‘new normal’. She emphasized that addressing
the governance issues exposed by the pandemic
is the responsibility of everyone, saying that this
challenging time calls for a ‘whole-of-society-
approach’. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl
Kendrick Chua expressed the same sentiment. In
his keynote message, Chua noted that due to the
effects of the pandemic, there was a slight reversal
in the country’s significant gains in poverty
reduction and a temporary increase of 17.5 percent
in poverty incidence. He maintained a positive
outlook, however, and said that the country’s goal
of bringing down poverty to 14 percent by 2022
is doable, but this would require innovative and
creative solutions from the government. Chua
urged the government to recalibrate its systems
and processes to adapt to the needs of the new
normal given that “it provides the direction and
impetus for innovation to prosper.” However, he
recognized the government’s limited resources
and stressed the importance of multistakeholder
partnerships as an effective way to address
resource constraints and “tap the wealth of ideas,
technologies, expertise, and networks that reside
outside of government”.
The first of the four-part webinar series of APPC
titled “Innovation in Public Sector Governance
for Resilience under a New Normal: Theory and
Practice” focused on examining how the country
should be responding to the pandemic, with
the public sector or the government leading the
efforts through relevant and timely policies.
One of the speakers, James Brumby, senior
adviser for governance, equitable growth,
finance, and institutions vice president of the
World Bank Group Singapore, said governments
need to explore and rethink their approaches
to a public health emergency and not look at
past experiences that tend to be “generalized
lessons”. This includes changes in work actions
and practices, embracing new technologies
and digital systems, and using new sources of
information, such as big data as government
information becomes challenged during the
pandemic. Meanwhile, Reboot Co-founder
and Executive Director Panthea Lee discussed the
importance of community-driven change and said
that to face the new normal, governments must
be open to collaborating with their communities,
citizens, and civil societies.
As for Maria Teresa Magno-Garcia, National
Planning and Corporate Management Bureau
Director of the Department of Information and
Communications Technology and a discussant for
this session, moving forward to the new normal
means pursuing digital transformation. For his part,
Gerardo Sicat, professor emeritus at the University
of the Philippines School of Economics, noted
that the digital revolution is a “very important and
powerful element” and that governments that fail
to adjust to it may lag behind.
The second of the four-part webinar series of
APPC titled “Institutional Innovations and Reforms
Under the New Normal” aimed to develop specific
recommendations for institutional and policy
plans or actions for innovating governance and
promote innovation in the public sector toward
recovery and resilience.
One of the sectors deeply affected by the
lockdowns was the education sector as schools
were forced to shift to online learning. In this
webinar, one of the topics highlighted was about
transforming education after the pandemic. Dr. Ju
Ho Lee, a professor at the School of Public Policy
and Management of Korea Development Institute,
urged countries like the Philippines to harness the
power of artificial intelligence (AI) in education.
Dubbed as “High-Touch High-Tech Education”,
this method integrates AI technologies in teaching
and helps teachers focus more on “personalized
guidance, active learning experiences, or mentoring
and emotional learning”.
Meanwhile, Sean McDonald, co-founder of Digital
Public and a senior fellow at the Canada-based
think tank Center for International Governance
Innovation, raised key lessons for governments
when using technology-led responses in
addressing problems. The first is validating their
purpose, while the second is ensuring their wider
reach. Moreover, with technology being prone
to political and commercial abuses, McDonald
said that building people’s trust is crucial. Thus,
governments need to provide clear messages to
the public when deploying new technologies.
For his part, Raymund Liboro, commissioner and
chairman of the National Privacy Commission,
touched on the topic of data and how it can help
respond to the pandemic. Now more than ever, the
ability to gather accurate data is crucial to curb the
spread of the virus. However, this also brings data
privacy issues. To help the government address
this and enter into serious data governance, Liboro
urged the government to update its digital skills
and competencies.

On the other hand, Ateneo School of Government
Dean Ronald Mendoza discussed the constraints
faced by countries like the Philippines as they
embrace innovations and technologies to respond
to the pandemic. According to him, for countries
with populist tendencies, constraints would be
more on the governance aspect than technological.
He also identified key elements needed for a more
inclusive recovery from the pandemic, namely, the
use of technology, trust-building to facilitate sharing
of information, and the transformation of healthcare,
social protection, and education systems.
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased people’s
preference to conduct activities online. According
to Aiken Larisa Serzo, University of the Philippines
Law Center consultant for its Technology Law and
Policy Program, the government needs to rethink
its existing regulatory policies. This is especially
true for industries that should be supported during
the pandemic, including online platforms and
logistics, retail and education providers, and telco
companies. Although these industries are highly
regulated, Larzo said that regulations should be
flexible enough to enable them to operate during
a pandemic.
The third of the four-part webinar series of APPC
titled “Strengthening the Civil Service under the
New Normal” focused on the critical civil service
reforms to enable governments to be agile
and innovative in facing large-scale crises and
multifaceted risks. Dr. Viroj Tangcharoensathien,
senior adviser for the International Health Policy
Program of Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health,
talked about his country’s effective government
response to COVID-19. Thailand has been lauded
for having one of the most successful responses to
the pandemic. He attributes this to three factors:
early intervention, health system resilience, and
effective governance—of which people’s trust in
government had an important role to play.
The critical role of governments also means
civil servants need to be capacitated. This was
emphasized by Dr. Naomi Aoki, associate professor
at the Graduate School of Public Policy of the
University of Tokyo. She said civil servants should
have the following mindsets to keep up with
what she called the ‘tech-powered new normal’:
openness to innovation, mindfulness of design
thinking and user orientation, attention to public
trust in innovations, and care for the digitally
disadvantaged.
Meanwhile, Philippine Civil Service Commission
Chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala said programs
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 43 >
are in place to prepare the public sector for the
new normal. These programs focus on human
resource management, occupational health and
safety standards for the public sector, and
organizational development. Relatedly, Eduardo
Banzon, principal health specialist at the Asian
Development Bank, who was also a discussant,
said there is a need for the civil service to “be savvy
in bringing in experts” and urged the government
to have stronger links with the academe to help
them in formulating an effective response to
current and future crises.
The last of the four-part webinar series titled
“Smart Systems for Agile Governance under
the New Normal” aimed to draw insights on
how developing countries like the Philippines
can adopt and sustain the implementation
of smart systems in governance to achieve
resilience to future risks. The key message that
emerged from this session is the importance of
technology-led and science-based governance
in a post-COVID-19 world. One interesting topic
was the use of unconventional tools and sources
in estimating socioeconomic indicators in the
Philippines as presented by Thinking Machines
Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Sy. Similarly,
Dr. Alfredo Mahar Lagmay, professor at the National
Institute of Geological Sciences of the University of
the Philippines, urged the government to integrate
science-based information in the development
plans and disaster management efforts of local
government units. He also emphasized the
importance of open data and its accessibility to
communities. Meanwhile, as the preference for
new technologies increases amid the pandemic,
Laura Ignacio, director of the Center for Monetary
and Financial Policy of the BSP, also warned about
the potential risks. She noted that it is essential to
have a balanced approach to these risks, saying
that “regulations must continue to adjust to
developments so as not to compromise consumer
protection standards and ensure the welfare of
the consumers.”
In all these discussions on creating a new brand of
governance, PIDS Vice President Marife Ballesteros,
in her closing message, emphasized the recurring
theme of building people’s trust—with the
government and with the new technologies and
innovations arising from these challenging times.
She urged the participants to apply the learnings
from the four-part webinar series to achieve the
common objective of improving public sector
governance in the country.
Each of the four-part webinar series of the APPC
was attended by over 300 to 400 participants from
the government, academe, civil society, private
sector, and the media.
< 44 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
INTERNATIONAL
LINKAGES
THE INSTITUTE IS a member of several international
networks, including the APEC Study Centers
Consortium (ASCC), East Asian Development
Network (EADN), Global Trade and Policy Alliance
(GTIPA), Network of East Asian Think Tanks (NEAT),
and Research Institutes Network (RIN).
In 2020, through the PASCN, PIDS continued
to participate in the annual ASCC conference.
Hosted by the Malaysian APEC Study Centre, the
virtual conference took place on September 23. It
centered on the theme “Towards an Inclusive,
Sustainable Growth and Shared Prosperity
Post-Pandemic” (see the PASCN section on p. 27
for details). The ASCC consists of all the APEC
Study Centers (ASCs) formed to foster research
and academic discussions on APEC issues. There
are more than 70 ASCs, one of which is the PASCN.
The Institute has been hosting and supporting
PASCN since 1996.
The EADN, meanwhile, is a network of research
institutions in the developing countries of East
Asia. It aims to strengthen the capacity of research
institutions and researchers to undertake high-quality,
development-focused, and policy-relevant research
in the social sciences that can be used for policy
analysis, debates, and inputs at the national and
regional levels. PIDS has been serving as the
secretariat of the EADN and the PIDS president as
regional coordinator since July 2010.
The Institute joined GTIPA in 2019. It is a network
of think tanks supporting greater global trade
liberalization and integration. In 2020, through
Dr. Francis Quimba and Dr. Ramonette Serafica, PIDS
contributed a short monograph on “The Philippines’
Three Most Significant Trade Priorities for the Year
Ahead” for the GTIPA multicountry report. Both
research fellows also participated in the GTIPA
Annual Summit held online on October 29.
Officially established in November 2003 with PIDS
representing the Philippines, NEAT was one of the
measures recommended in 2002 by the East Asian
Studies Group convened by ASEAN+3 leaders for
closer cooperation among East Asian countries. It
serves as a mechanism for research and academic
exchange and a platform for second-track
diplomacy in the regional cooperation of the
member-states comprising the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations as well as China, Japan,
and South Korea. In 2020, through Dr. Kris
Francisco, PIDS participated in the NEAT Working
Group “East Asian Cooperation on Enhancing
Inclusive, Resilient, and Sustainable Connectivity
beyond COVID-19” on November 5. She and PIDS
President Celia Reyes also attended the 32nd
NEAT Country Coordinators Annual Meeting
on November 18. Dr. Reyes also serves as NEAT
country coordinator for the Philippines.
RIN is a group of research institutes in East Asia
that supports the Economic Research Institute
for ASEAN and East Asia in research, capacity
development, and dissemination of research
findings. In 2020, Dr. Adoracion Navarro served
as a resource speaker in the RIN 2020 Research
Workshop on COVID-19 held on October 12.
Dr. Celia Reyes also served as a discussant in the
RIN Annual Meeting 2020 on October 27.
Moreover, PIDS actively participates in other
international fora and networks through its
officials and senior researchers.
See Annex H for details.

POLICY
INFLUENCE
THE INSTITUTE, THROUGH its senior researchers,
directly influences policymaking in the legislative
branch by participating as resource persons in
congressional meetings/hearings, technical committees,
or working groups (Annex I).
Moreover, the comments of PIDS senior researchers
on proposed laws are regularly sought by the
Senate and the House of Representatives. The
details are presented below.
Comments/Position Papers Submitted
to Congress in 2020
From January to December 2020, PIDS provided
comments to 11 House Bills (HB) and 3 House
Resolutions (HR) pending before the House of
Representatives and 25 Senate Bills (SB), 6 Senate
Resolutions (SR), and 1 Joint Senate Resolution
pending before the Senate.
• HB 206, “An Act Providing for the Development
of a National Defense Industry through
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 45 >
the Strengthening and Revitalizing of the
Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) Program,
Incentivizing In-country Enterprises, Rationalizing
Defense Acquisition, and Creating the Office
of the Undersecretary for Defense Technology
Research and Industry Development under the
Department of National Defense, and Providing
Funds Thereof”
• HB 3238, “An Act Establishing a Framework
for Citizens Participation in Legislation and
Rule-Making through the Use of Information
and Communications Technology Platforms”
• SB 169 and 1258 on the proposed NEDA bill
• TRAIN Package 3, “Real Property Valuation and
Assessment Act”, including SB 246 and 519
and HB 4664
• HB 5906, “An Act Amending Provisions of
Republic Act (RA) 10667, Otherwise Known as
An Act Providing for a National Competition
Policy, Prohibiting Anti-Competitive Agreements,
< 46 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

Abuse of Dominant Position and Anti-Competitive the COVID-19 Pandemic, also known as
Mergers and Acquisitions, Establishing the ‘Pag-asa: Alaga, Sustento, at Angat sa
Philippine Competition Commission’ and Panahon ng COVID-19 Crisis’ Package, and for
Appropriating Funds Therefor” Other Purposes”

• Proposed constitutional amendments by the • HB 6122, “An Act Protecting Consumers and
Inter-Agency Task Force on Federalism (IATF) Merchants Engaged in Internet Transactions,
Creating for this Purpose the Ecommerce
and Constitutional Reform Movement (CORE)
Bureau and Appropriating Funds Therefor”
• HB 230, “An Act Institutionalizing the (Internet Transactions Act)
Participation of Civil Society Organizations
• SR 405, “Directing the Committee on Trade,
(CSOs) in the Preparation and Authorization
Commerce, and Entrepreneurship, and Other
Process of the Annual National Budget,
Appropriate Committees to Conduct a Hearing,
Providing Mechanisms Therefor, and for Other
in Aid of Legislation, on the Effects of
Purposes” and HB 832, titled “An Act Creating
COVID-19 on Philippine Trade, Commerce,
a System of Partnership Between Local
and Entrepreneurship, and the Possible Ways
Governments and Civil Society Organizations
to Restart the Economy During and After the
through the Establishment of a People’s Council
COVID-19 Era”
in Every Local Government Unit, Prescribing its
Powers and Functions”
• SR 391, “Basic Education System (COVID-19)”
• Proposed legislation on inclusive education
• SR 392, “Free Intenet Access in Public Places Act”
(SB 434 and SB 1150) and establishment of
inclusive education learning resource centers • The Department of Education’s Learning
for children and youth with special needs Continuity Plan for Basic Education in Time of
(SB 55, 69, 171, 329, 338, 345, 540, and 804) COVID-19
• SB 14, amending the Retail Trade Liberalization • HR 834, “Directing the Proper Committee to
Act of 2000 (RA 8762) Conduct an Inquiry in Aid of Legislation on the
Current Status of Implementation of Republic
• Senate Bill 921, amending the Retail Trade
Act 11055, Otherwise Known as the Philippine
Liberalization Act of 2000 (RA 8762)
Identification System Act”
• Senate Bill 1113, amending Retail Trade
• HR 937, “Urging the National Government to
Liberalization Act of 2000 (RA 8762)
Fast Track the Integrated Implementation of
RA 11055 (Philippine Identification System Act)
• HB 6297, “An Act Strengthening the Right of
and RA 11315 (Community-Based Monitoring
the People to Free Expression, to Peaceably
System Act) as a Vital Database Mechanism in
Assemble, and to Petition the Government
Providing Social Amelioration during COVID-19
for Redress of Grievances, Repealing for the
Pandemic”
Purpose Batas Pambansa 880 or The Public
Assembly Act of 1985” • HB 6958, “An Act Providing Protection to
Individuals Engaged in the Food and Grocery
• SB 1474, “An Act Providing An Economic
Delivery Services”
Stimulus Strategy for the Effects of the
Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and • SB 69, “An Act Instituting Services for Learners
Appropriating Funds Therefor” with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive
Education, Establishing Inclusive Education
• SB 1431, “An Act Establishing an Economic
Learning Resource Centers for Learners with
Recovery Package to Business in the Hardest
Disabilities and Children and Youth with Special
Hit Sectors by the Coronavirus Disease 2019
Needs in All Public School Districts and Public
(COVID-19), Appropriating Funds Therefor, and
School Divisions, Providing for Standards and
for Other Purposes”
Guidelines, and Appropriating Funds Therefor”
• SB 1414, “An Act Establishing the Emergency
• SR 409, “Directing the Senate Committee
Response And Recovery Package to Counter
on Finance to Conduct an Inquiry, in Aid

of Legislation, to Determine the Budgetary
Requirements of the Government to Utilize
Innovative Digital Technologies and Accelerate
the Build-Up of Telecommunications
Infrastructure towards Improving Governance,
Socio-economic Development, and Prompt
Delivery of Services to the Filipino People”
• HR 178, “Calling for an Investigation in Aid of
Legislation by the Appropriate Committee of
the House of Representatives on the Exclusion
of Agriculturally Viable Parcels of Land in
Sariaya, Quezon, from the Implementation of
the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program”
• SR 522, “Implementation of RA 4670 (Magna
Carta for Public School Teachers)” and SR 526,
“Quality of Teacher Education and training and
Teacher Education Institutions”
• SB 1591, “An Act Protecting Consumers and
Merchants Engaged in Internet Transactions,
Creating for this Purpose the Ecommerce
Bureau, and Appropriating Funds Therefor”
INITIAL EVIDENCE OF POLICY INFLUENCE
Citation of PIDS Studies in Bills Filed
at the Lower House
An initial review of the bills submitted by lawmakers
in the 18th Congress (July 22, 2019 – 2022) reveals
that PIDS studies were cited in these bills. Table 1
shows some of these bills and the cited studies.
Uptake of Policy Recommendations
In terms of policymakers’ uptake of PIDS studies’
policy recommendations, the Institute initially
documented three cases.
• The first case pertains to the 2017 policy note
“Quantitative Restriction on Rice Imports: Issues
and alternatives” authored by Dr. Roehlano
Briones. At a PIDS webinar on January 28,
2021, where Senator Cynthia Villar served
as closing speaker, she disclosed that she
used the policy note as a basis for drafting
the Rice Tariffication Law. The specific policy
recommendations taken up by Senator Villar,
who is currently the chairperson of the Senate
Committee on Agriculture and Food, are (1) the
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 47 >
• SB 1818, “An Act Promoting Online Transactions,
Safeguarding the Rights of Consumers and
Merchants, and for Other Purposes”
• Joint Senate Resolution 10, “Creating a
Congressional Oversight Committee on
Education to Reviews and Assess Philippine
Education, Providing Funds Therefore and for
Other Purposes”
• HB 7864, “An Act Establishing the Basic
Regulatory Framework for Blockchain Technology
in the Philippines, Providing for its Use in
Government Service Delivery, and for Other
Purposes”
• SB 788, “An Act Establishing A National
Evaluation Policy”
• SB 1885, “An Act Establishing A Results-Based
National Evaluation Policy”
• HB 8101, “An Act Providing for the Promotion
and Development of the Philippine Creative
Industries and Providing Funds Therefor”
adoption of rice tariffication in place of the lifting
of the quantitative restrictions, (2) the provision of
safety nets for rice farmers, and (3) the abolition
of the National Food Authority (NFA) monopoly
over rice importation and retaining NFA merely
as a buffer stocking agency.
• The second case is about the 2020 study
“Impacts of the Sustainable Livelihood
Program’s (SLP) Microenterprise Development
(MD) Assistance with Seed Capital Fund on Poor
Households in the Philippines” commissioned
by the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD), the implementing
agency of SLP. Authored by Dr. Aniceto Orbeta,
Dr. Marife Ballesteros, Mr. John Paul Corpus,
Dr. Vicente Paqueo, and Dr. Celia Reyes, this
study evaluated the impact of the program’s
MD component on the labor supply, income,
expenditure, savings, and capital investment
of beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang
Pilipino Program. In a memorandum dated
October 8, 2020, DSWD Assistant Secretary
for Specialized Programs Rhea Penaflor said
the study’s recommendations would “be fully
utilized” by the department to improve the
< 48 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
program’s implementation through several
“action points”.
Table 2 gives details of the study’s
recommendations and the responses of
DSWD. It is important to emphasize that
some of the recommendations of the 2020
study were informed by previous studies also
conducted by PIDS.
• The third and last case is about the 2020
study “Fiscal Sustainability, Equity, and
Allocative Efficiency in the Light of the 2019
Supreme Court Ruling on the LGUs’ Share
in the National Taxes” written by Dr. Rosario
Manasan, a former senior research fellow of
PIDS. To ensure the national government’s
fiscal sustainability when the Supreme Court
ruling takes effect in 2022, the study proposed
sourcing the increase in local government
resources by “unfunding programs, activities,
and projects (PAPs) in the budgets of some
Table 1. Some of the bills filed at the Lower House of the 18th Congress that cited PIDS studies
No. Long/Short Title
House Bill 80 Housewife Compensation Act
House Bill 308 An Act Instituting a Thirty-five (35)
Hour Working Week Scheme as an
Alternative Work Arrangement for
Employees in the Public Sector
House Bill 4366 Green Vehicles Incentive Act
House Bill 5362 Senior Citizens Employment
Opportunity Act
House Bill 6709 The COVID-19 Unemployment
Reduction Economic Stimulus
(CURES) Act of 2020
House Bill 6952 Bayanihan to Recover as One Act
House Bill 7120 K-12 Employers Incentive Act
House Bill 7208 Comprehensive Dairy Farming Act
national government agencies that are actually
intended to deliver functions assigned to LGUs
under the Local Government Code”. On June
2, 2021, the Office of the President released
Executive Order 138 titled “Full Devolution of
Certain Functions of the Executive Branch to
Local Governments, Creation of a Committee
on Devolution, and For Other Purposes”.
In an email exchange between PIDS and
the Department of the Interior and Local
Government’s Bureau of Local Government
Development (BLGD) dated June 11, 2021, the
BLGD verified that “the policy recommendation
of Dr. Manasan was the action taken by the DBM
[Department of Budget and Management]
when they communicated the formulation of
the NGA DTPs [national government agencies
devolution transition plans].” The BLGD added
that “they [DBM] specified some of the
projects that will be unfunded in preparation
for the national budget call.”
PIDS Study Cited
PN 2017-09: Do Men and Women in
the Philippines Have Equal Economic
Opportunities?
DP 2018-20: Profile and Determinants of the
Middle Income Class in the Philippines
DP 2018-11: Preparing the Philippines for the
Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Scoping Study
PN 2011-13: Globalization, Competition, and
International Production Networks: Policy
Directions for the Philippine Automotive
Industry
DP 2019-23: Financing Universal Health Care in
an Ageing Philippines
DP 2020-15: Projected Disease Transmission,
Health System Requirements, and
Macroeconomic Impacts of the Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Philippines
DP 2020-15: Projected Disease Transmission,
Health System Requirements, and
Macroeconomic Impacts of the Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Philippines
DP 2018-49: Senior High School and the Labor
Market: Perspectives of Grade 12 Students and
Human Resource Officers
DP 2017-51: Review of High-Value Agriculture
in the Philippines with Comprehensive
Subsectoral Focus: Livestock Industries
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 49 >

Table 1. (continued)

No. Long/Short Title PIDS Study Cited

House Bill 7304 The Rural Agricultural and Fisheries DP 2016-48: Comprehensive Study on Credit
Financing Enhancement System
Act
House Bill 7524 Special Protection to Coastal
Fishing Communities Act
House Bill 8088 An Act Strengthening Assistance
to Farmers, Fisherfolk and
Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries by
Institutionalizing Direct
Credit Support to Said Sectors
Amending Republic Act 3844 or
the Agricultural Land Reform Code
House Bill 8210 An Act Mandating the Commission
on Higher Education to Create a
Tripartite Council to Address Job-
Skills Mismatch in the Country
House Bill 8739 Geriatric Special Care Unit Act
of 2021
Programs to Smallholders
RPS 2020-01: Vulnerability to Income Poverty in
the Philippines: An Examination of Trends from
2003 to 2015 (earlier published as
DP 2018-10)
WP 1987-02: Costs of Agricultural Credit in the
Philippines: The Short-run Effects of Interest
Rate Deregulation
DP 2016-08: Are Higher Education Institutions
Responsive to Changes in the Labor Market?
DP 2018-43: Are We Missing Out on the
Demographic Dividend? Trends and Prospects

Source: https://www.congress.gov.ph/

Table 2. Recommendations of the 2020 Sustainable Livelihood Program process evaluation and
the action plan of DSWD
Study’s Recommendations
Organize SLP livelihood interventions and CCT
interventions (e.g., savings, health information, health
services, and parent counselling) into a coherent
graduation strategy for the poor.
DSWD should better understand the relative merits of
group-based vs. individual livelihood projects.
DSWD should improve project development and
selection to improve the commercial viability of
livelihood projects.
DSWD should review and strengthen supporting
interventions for livelihood beneficiaries pre- and
post-implementation.
Consider re-emphasizing interventions leading to
wage employment.3
DSWD’s Action Plan
Implementation of a Graduation approach in the SLP
process, in partnership with BRAC, ADB, and DFAT
Australia.1
Conduct an in-house study to assess the relative
merits of the two types of enterprises. Said study
is a priority topic in SLP’s Research and Evaluation
Agenda.
Continuous review of SLP’s program design and
implementation, particularly:
n Improvement of screening participants by
revisiting Microsave’s Track Selection Tool and
PIDS’s Sorting Tool2
n Effectiveness of current SLP’s implementation
and monitoring guidelines, tools, and modules.
Strengthen collaboration with partners/stakeholders
of the program, particularly on the interventions
leading to wage employment.

1
However, this Graduation project was already being planned even before the completion of the SLP impact evaluation.
2
The characteristics-based sorting tool developed was by Dr. Celia Reyes and Arkin Arboneda (Reyes and Arboneda
2018). Earlier PIDS process assessments of SLP had also suggested the need for better sorting of SLP participants
(Ballesteros et al. 2016; Ballesteros et al. 2017).
3
This recommendation was also informed by earlier PIDS process assessments of SLP (Ballesteros et al. 2015;
Ballesteros et al. 2016).
Sources: PIDS SLP study team; DSWD memorandum dated October 8, 2020, from Assistant Secretary for Specialized
Programs Rhea Penaflor to PIDS President Celia Reyes
< 50 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
PIDS
EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
THE CHALLENGES BROUGHT by the pandemic did
not prevent the newly elected officers of PIDSEA
from organizing and implementing programs and
activities for 2020, which were aimed to further
improve and promote the work condition, welfare,
and interest of PIDS employees.
In January 2020, the nomination process for the
election of new PIDSEA officers was conducted,
wherein nomination forms were distributed
among PIDSEA members. A new set of PIDSEA
Officers was elected on February 3, 2020. After
the elections, the PIDSEA Executive Committee
(ExeCom) held meetings and preparations for
team-building activities for the year.
On August 26, 2020, the PIDSEA ExeCom
spearheaded an online “Kumustahan” activity
participated by PIDS employees. The activity
provided an avenue for employees to share their
experiences during the pandemic, as well as tips
on how to cope with the challenges of working
from home. Suggestions on future employee
welfare programs or projects relevant to the “new
normal” were also solicited during the activity.
As part of the activities during the anniversary
week of PIDS held in September, PIDSEA organized
games and online raffle activities to celebrate the
Annual Employees Day.
The association has also been actively involved
in other activities of the Institute, including the
conduct of two orientations for new employees
and the attendance and representation to
Management Committee meetings, Human
Resource Merit Promotion and Selection Board
deliberations, Personnel Development Committee
activities, and other meetings organized with
various PIDS committees. PIDSEA also provided
inputs to several proposed office policies related
to the work-from-home arrangement, health and
wellness, and occupational safety and health.
Significantly, the PIDSEA, in partnership with the
PIDS Management and staff, successfully secured the
accreditation of its Collective Negotiation Agreement
from the Civil Service Commission on November
11, 2020. The initiatives to review and renew the
agreement started in March, and appropriate
revisions and improvements were subsequently
made as agreed during the negotiation meetings.
The agreement was ultimately approved and signed
by both parties on September 8, 2020.
All these activities would not have been possible
without the support of the PIDS Management and
staff. PIDSEA envisions to continue partnering with
all its members and with the PIDS Management in
all its future endeavors for the welfare of the PIDS
employees and the Institute.

PIDS
PROVIDENT FUND
THE PIDS PROVIDENT FUND was established
on April 29, 1999. It was registered with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on January
25, 2000. It was organized to establish and
maintain a fund, the sources of which are derived
from the contributions of its members and
counterpart contributions of PIDS. All earnings
from its investment operations are distributed to
the members as benefits. The PIDS provided the
Fund with seed money worth PHP 2 million as
authorized by the PIDS Board Resolution 97-05,
s. 1997 dated July 24, 1997. The PIDS Provident
Fund Inc. was conceived to complement the GSIS
and Pag-IBIG Fund benefits of PIDS employees. Its
primary objective is to provide additional benefits
to retired, resigned, or separated PIDS employees.
As of December 31, 2020, the Fund has a total
membership of 78 permanent PIDS employees
and 2 coterminous PASCN employees.
The 20th Annual Members’ Meeting of the PIDS
Provident Fund, held on June 24, 2020 via Cisco
Webex platform, was highlighted by the following
activities: (1) presentation of the annual report
and audited financial statements by the Fund
president; (2) proposed declaration of dividends;
PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 51 >
and (3) election of level representatives to the
Board of Trustees.
For calendar year (CY) 2020, the Fund paid
provident fund benefits in the total amount
of PHP 1.039 million to six employees who
resigned/retired from PIDS.
In terms of financial position, the Fund’s assets
increased by 16 percent from PHP48.066 million
in 2019 to PHP55.761 million in 2020.
Meanwhile, members’ equity increased in 2020
by 17 percent from PHP 44.809 million in 2019 to
PHP 52.490 million in 2020. The members’ equity
consists of members’ contributions, that of PIDS,
and the dividends.
In terms of revenue generation for CY 2020,
the Fund earned revenues of PHP1.560 million,
slightly lower by PHP 0.129 million compared
to the total revenues of PHP 1.689 million in
CY 2019. The Fund spent PHP 0.147 million in
operating expenses and paid share in net income
of PHP 0.029 million to resigned members during
the year. Thus, a net income of PHP 1.384 million
in 2020. This is lower than 2019’s net income of
PHP1.529 million.
< 52 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

BOARD OF
TRUSTEES

DR. KARL KENRICK T. CHUA ATTY. RAPHAEL PERPETUO M. LOTILLA

Chairperson Member

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Fellow, Philippine Center for Economic

Director-General, National Economic Development,
and Development Authority UP School of Economics

DR. GILBERTO M. LLANTO DR. CELIA M. REYES

Member Member

Former President, Philippine Institute President, Philippine Institute

for Development Studies for Development Studies
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 53 >

MANAGEMENT
COMMITTEE

DR. CELIA M. REYES DR. MARIFE M. BALLESTEROS

President Vice President

PhD Economics PhD Social Sciences

University of Pennsylvania University of Nijmegen (The Netherlands)

MS. ANDREA S. AGCAOILI
Department Manager III
Administrative and Finance
Department
MA Business Administration
Philippine Christian University
DR. SHEILA V. SIAR
Department Manager III
Research Information Department
PhD Development Studies
University of Auckland
(New Zealand)
MS. RENEE ANN JOLINA C. AJAYI
Department Manager III
Research Services Department
MA International Relations
Eastern Mediterranean University
(Cyprus)
MA Development Management
Development Academy
of the Philippines
< 54 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

RESEARCH
FELLOWS

DR. MICHAEL RALPH M. DR. JANET S. CUENCA

ABRIGO Research Fellow
Senior Research Fellow
PhD Public Policy
PhD Economics National University
University of Hawaii of Singapore
at Manoa
(health devolution,
(population and health fiscal decentralization,
economics, applied government budget
economic modeling, analysis, health, education,
impact evaluation) social protection)

DR. JOSE RAMON G.

ALBERT
Senior Research Fellow DR. CONNIE B.
DACUYCUY
PhD Statistics Senior Research Fellow
State University of New
York at Stony Brook PhD Economics
Kyoto University (Japan)
(statistical analysis
especially on poverty (household, family
measurement and and gender issues,
diagnostics, agricultural poverty analysis, applied
statistics, survey design, economic modeling)
data mining, statistical
analysis of missing data)

DR. SONNY N. DOMINGO

Senior Research Fellow
DR. ROEHLANO M.
BRIONES PhD Applied Economics
Senior Research Fellow Charles Sturt University
(Australia)
PhD Economics
UP School of Economics (agricultural science and
resource economics,
(agriculture, CGE mathematical
modeling, rural programming, disaster
development) risk reduction and
management)
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 55 >

DR. ANICETO C. ORBETA JR.

DR. KRIS A. FRANCISCO Senior Research Fellow
Research Fellow
PhD Economics
PhD Public Economics UP School of Economics
National Graduate Postdoctoral, Harvard
Institute for Policy Studies University
(Japan)
(impact evaluation,
(transportation economics, demographic economics,
development economics, social sector issues,
applied econometric applied economic
analysis) modeling, information and
communication technologies)

DR. MARIA MARGARITA

D. GONZALES
Senior Research Fellow
PhD Economics
UP School of Economics
(financial economics,
monetary economics,
macroeconomics,
development economics)
DR. FRANCIS MARK
A. QUIMBA
Senior Research Fellow
PhD Development Economics
National Graduate Institute
for Policy Studies (Japan)
(rural development,
international development)

DR. ADORACION M. DR. RAMONETTE B.

NAVARRO SERAFICA
Senior Research Fellow Senior Research Fellow
PhD Economics PhD Economics
UP School of Economics University of Hawaii
(regional development, (services and trade
energy and other in services)
infrastructure sectors, and
public-private partnerships)
< 56 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

DR. CHARLOTTE JUSTINE D.

SICAT DR. VALERIE GILBERT T.
Research Fellow
ULEP
(on secondment from UP
Research Fellow
Diliman)
PhD Health Policy and
PhD Business Administration
Health Economics, McMaster
UP Diliman
University (Canada)
(public economics,
(health economics, health
economics of regulation,
insurance, econometrics and
industrial organization,
economic evaluation)
finance, health and labor
economics)

DR. VICENTE B. PAQUEO

DR. AUBREY D. TABUGA Distinguished Visiting
Research Fellow Research Fellow
PhD Public Policy
PhD Economics
National University of
UP School of Economics
Singapore
Postdoctoral, Princeton
University
(public policy analysis, social
economics of migration,
(education, social
institutional economics,
protection, health
social policy)
economics)
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 57 >

ANNEX A
COMPLETED STUDIES

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS/
STUDY TITLE PROJECT DIRECTOR(S)
AUTHORS
AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Roehlano Briones
Roberto Clemente
Assessing the Resurgent Irrigation Development Program of
Roehlano Briones Roger Luyun
the Philippines
Agnes Rola
Arlene Inocencio
Development of Crop Climate Calendars for High-Value Crops
Sonny Domingo
in Atok, Benguet: Report from Preliminary Co-Learning and
Sonny Domingo Anna Jennifer Umlas
Co-Development Engagements with Agricultural Stakeholders
Katrina Mae Zuluaga
in Benguet Province
Sonny Domingo
Adrian Boyett Agbon
Barriers to Application of Weather and Climate Information Ma. Divina Olaguera
Sonny Domingo
in Cut Flower Production in Benguet Anna Jennifer Umlas
Katrina Mae Zuluaga
Celia Reyes
Sonny Domingo
Developing Rapid Climate Decision Analysis Tool in
Sonny Domingo Anna Jennifer Umlas
Smallholder High-Value Crop Farming in Atok, Benguet
Katrina Mae Zuluaga
Sonny Domingo
Adrian Boyett Agbon
Barriers to Application of Weather and Climate Information Ma. Divina Olaguera
Sonny Domingo
in Smallholder Vegetable Farming in Benguet Anna Jennifer Umlas
Katrina Mae Zuluaga
Celia Reyes
Agricultural Employment and the Rural Household: A
Roehlano Briones Roehlano Briones
Characterization for Selected Provinces in the Philippines
The Role of Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations Marife Ballesteros
Roehlano Briones
(ARBOs) in Agriculture Value Chain Jenica Ancheta
Boosting Agricultural Productivity through Parcelization of
Roehlano Briones Ivory Myka Galang
Collective Certificate of Land Ownership Awards
The Unfinished Agenda of Trade Liberalization in Philippine
Agriculture: Assessing the Impact of Reducing Tariff and Roehlano Briones Roehlano Briones
Nontariff Barriers
Did the Opening up of Rice Importation in the Philippines
Worsen Income Poverty and Inequality? A General Roehlano Briones Roehlano Briones
Equilibrium with Microsimulation Approach
Land Tenure, Access to Credit, and Agricultural Performance
Roehlano Briones Ivory Myka Galang
of ARBs, Farmer Beneficiaries, and Other Rural Workers
Projecting Loan Demand from Small Farmers and Fishers
Connie Dacuycuy Geoffrey Ducanes
in the Philippines
< 58 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS/
STUDY TITLE PROJECT DIRECTOR(S)
AUTHORS
Connie Dacuycuy
Towards a More Sustainable Financing of Small Farmers and Connie Dacuycuy Marife Ballesteros
Fisherfolk’s Agricultural Production Lora Kryz Baje
Jenica Ancheta
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, LABOR MARKETS, AND POVERTY
Aubrey Tabuga
Michael Ralph Abrigo
ECCD-F1KD Situation Analysis in KOICA-UNICEF Connie Dacuycuy
Aubrey Tabuga
Project Areas Carlos Cabaero
Lora Kryz Baje
Zhandra Tam
Valerie Gilbert Ulep
Primary Health Care for Noncommunicable Diseases in the
Valerie Gilbert Ulep Jhanna Uy
Philippines
Lyle Darryl Casas
On the Employability of the Senior High School Graduates: Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
Aniceto Orbeta, Jr.
Evidence from the Labor Force Survey Maropsil Potestad
Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
Correlates of Test Performance of 15-year-old Students in the
Aniceto Orbeta, Jr. Kris Ann Melad
Philippines: Evidence from PISA
Maropsil Potestad
Jose Ramon Albert
Ana Maria Tabunda
Carlos Primo David
Future Science and Technology Human Resource
Jose Ramon Albert Kris Francisco
Requirements in the Philippines: A Market Labor Analysis
Charlie Labina
Janet Cuenca
Jana Flor Vizmanos
Connie Dacuycuy
Towards a Sustainable Online Work in the Philippines:
Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
Learnings from the Online Survey of Market and Nonmarket Ramonette Serafica
Ramonette Serafica
Work during the Enhanced Community Quarantine
Lora Kryz Baje
Connie Dacuycuy
Online Work in the Philippines: Some Lessons Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
Ramonette Serafica
in the Asian Context Ramonette Serafica
Lora Kryz Baje
Adoracion Navarro
Updating of UN Common Country Assessment for the
Adoracion Navarro Kris Francisco
Philippines
Celia Reyes
Review of Indigenous Peoples Policy and Institutional Sonny Domingo
Sonny Domingo
Grounding Arvie Joy Manejar
Michael Ralph Abrigo
Projected Disease Transmission, Health System Requirements, Jhanna Uy
and Macroeconomic Impacts of the Coronavirus Disease Celia Reyes Nel Jason Haw
2019 (COVID-19) in the Philippines Valerie Gilbert Ulep
Kris Francisco
Jose Ramon Albert
Poverty, the Middle Class, and Income Distribution Michael Ralph Abrigo
Jose Ramon Albert
amidst COVID-19 Francis Mark Quimba
Jana Flor Vizmanos
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 59 >

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS/
STUDY TITLE PROJECT DIRECTOR(S)
AUTHORS
Celia Reyes
Does Economic Growth Benefit the Poor? Evidence from the Arkin Arboneda
Celia Reyes
2015–2018 Growth Episode Ronina Asis
Anna Rita Vargas
Celia Reyes
Ronina Asis
Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Poverty Celia Reyes
Arkin Arboneda
Anna Rita Vargas

Who Wins and Who Loses from PhilHealth? Cost and Benefit
Michael Ralph Abrigo Michael Ralph Abrigo
Incidence of Social Health Insurance in a Lifecycle Perspective

Aniceto Orbeta,Jr.
Impacts of the Sustainable Livelihood Program's Marife Ballesteros
Microenterprise Development Assistance with Seed Capital Marife Ballesteros John Paul Corpus
Fund on Poor Households in the Philippines Vicente Paqueo
Celia Reyes
Nina Victoria Araos
Deepening the Narrative: Qualitative Follow-up Study on the
Aniceto Orbeta, Jr. Kris Ann Melad
Third Impact Evaluation of Pantawid Pamilya
Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
Kris Ann Melad
Giving Cash to the Poor: A Study of Pantawid Pamilya Cash
Aniceto Orbeta, Jr. Nina Victoria Araos
Grants Generosity, Frequency, and Modality
Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
INSTITUTIONS, LAW, AND ECONOMICS
Cross-border Issues for Digital Platforms: A review of
Ramonette Serafica Aiken Larisa Serzo
Regulations Applicable to Philippine Digital Platforms
Cross-border Data Regulation for Digital Platforms: Data
Ramonette Serafica Aiken Larisa Serzo
Privacy and Security
MACROECONOMICS, FINANCE, AND GROWTH
Celia M. Reyes, Connie B.
Dacuycuy, Michael Ralph
M. Abrigo, Francis Mark A.
Quimba, Nicoli Arthur B.
PIDS-BSP Annual Macroeconometric Model for the
Connie Dacuycuy Borromeo, Dennis M. Bautista,
Philippines: Preliminary Estimates and Ways Forward
Jan Christopher G. Ocampo,
Lora Kryz C. Baje, Sylwyn C.
Calizo Jr., Zhandra C. Tam, and
Gabriel Iñigo M. Hernandez
PUBLIC ECONOMICS AND GOVERNANCE
Charlotte Justine Sicat
Baseline Study on Policy and Governance Gaps for the Local Catharine Adaro
Government Support Fund Assistance to Municipalities Charlotte Justine Sicat Ricxie Maddawin
(LGSF-AM) Program Angel Faye Castillo
Ma. Alma Mariano
Charlotte Justine Sicat
Assessment of the Performance Challenge Fund and the Seal Ma. Alma Mariano
Charlotte Justine Sicat
of Good Local Governance: Perceptions from Municipalities Angel Faye Castillo
Ricxie Maddawin
Fiscal Decentralization and Health Service Delivery:
Janet Cuenca Janet Cuenca
An Assessment
< 60 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS/
STUDY TITLE PROJECT DIRECTOR(S)
AUTHORS
Efficiency of Local Governments in Health Service Delivery:
Janet Cuenca Janet Cuenca
A Stochastic Frontier Analysis
The Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) as a Local
Planning Tool: Results from the PIDS-DILG Baseline Study Charlotte Justine Sicat
on Policy and Governance Gaps for the Local Government Charlotte Justine Sicat Catharine Adaro
Support Fund Assistance to Municipalities (LGSF-AM) Ricxie Maddawin
Program
Celia Reyes
Evidence-based Local Planning and Budgeting Using CBMS Celia Reyes Anna Rita Vargas
Arkin Arboneda
Fiscal Sustainability, Equity and Allocative Efficiency in the
Light of the 2019 Supreme Court Ruling on the LGUs’ Share Rosario Manasan Rosario Manasan
in National Taxes
Jose Ramon Albert
Ronald Mendoza
Evaluation of the Effects of the Performance-Based Bonus
Jose Ramon Albert Janet Cuenca
Incentive Scheme
Jana Flor Vizmanos
Mika Muñoz
Lawrence G. Velasco
Charlotte Justine Sicat
The Philippine Local Government Water Sector Charlotte Justine Sicat
Angel Faye Castillo
Ricxie Maddawin
Analysis of the 2021 President's Budget Janet Cuenca Janet Cuenca
Philippine Local Government Public Expenditure Review: Charlotte Justine Sicat
A Survey of National Government’s Local Government Charlotte Justine Sicat Angel Faye Castillo
Support Programs Ricxie Maddawin
Review of the “Build, Build, Build” Program: Implications on
Janet Cuenca Janet Cuenca
the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022
An Analysis of Regulatory Policies on Solid Waste Sonny Domingo
Sonny Domingo
Management in the Philippines: Ways Forward Arvie Joy Manejar
Policy, Institutional, and Expenditure Review of Bottom-up Sonny Domingo
Sonny Domingo
Approach to Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Arvie Joy Manejar
Aubrey Tabuga
Innovating Governance: Building Resilience against COVID-19 Sonny Domingo
Pandemic and Other Risks Charlotte Justine Sicat
Valerie Gilbert Ulep
REGIONAL, URBAN, AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Looking at Local Government Resilience through Network Sonny Domingo
Sonny Domingo
Data Envelopment Analysis Arvie Joy Manejar
The Structure of Social Relations in the Community:
Aubrey Tabuga
An Empirical Analysis for Achieving Social and Aubrey Tabuga
Carlos Cabaero
Economic Inclusion
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATION
Towards Measuring the Platform Economy: Concepts,
Ramonette Serafica Jose Ramon Albert
Indicators, and Issues
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 61 >

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS/
STUDY TITLE PROJECT DIRECTOR(S)
AUTHORS
Francis Mark Quimba
Digital Divide and the Platform Economy: Looking for the
Ramonette Serafica Maureen Ane Rosellon
Connection from the Asian Experience
Sylwyn Calizo Jr.
Understanding the Costs and Benefits of Digital Platforms Ramonette Serafica
Ramonette Serafica
and the Implications for Policymaking and Regulation Queen Cel Oren
Ramonette Serafica
Costs and Benefits of New Disciplines on Electronic
Ramonette Serafica Francis Mark Quimba
Commerce
Janet Cuenca
Emerging Tax Issues in the Digital Economy Janet Cuenca Janet Cuenca
TRADE AND INDUSTRY AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY
Francis Mark Quimba
FTA Utilization of Philippine Imports Francis Mark Quimba Maureen Ane Rosellon
Sylwyn Calizo Jr.
Francis Mark Quimba
Joint Feasibility Study on the Possible Economic Cooperation
Francis Mark Quimba Maureen Ane Rosellon
Agreement between the Philippines and Taiwan
Sylwyn Calizo Jr.
Francis Mark Quimba
Impact of FTA on Philippine Industries: Analysis of Mark Anthony Barral
Francis Mark Quimba
Network Effects Maureen Ane Rosellon
Sylwyn Calizo Jr.
Francis Mark Quimba
How Does the Philippines Fare in Meeting ASEAN Economic
Francis Mark Quimba Maureen Ane Rosellon
Community Vision 2025?
Jean Clarisse Carlos
Exploring the Feasibility of Content Analysis in Understanding Francis Mark Quimba
Francis Mark Quimba
International Cooperation in APEC Mark Anthony Barral
PASCN RESEARCH STUDIES (TDAP AND RESEARCH GRANTS)
Biomass-Carbon Stock Mapping of Mangrove Forest in
Bued, Alaminos, Pangasinan, Using Geographical Information Madonna Daquigan Madonna Daquigan
System (GIS) and Remote Sensing
Characterization of Marine Plasticle Pollution in Tañon Strait,
Maria Kristina Paler Maria Kristina Paler
Central Philippines
< 62 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

ANNEX B
ONGOING STUDIES

STUDY TITLE PROJECT DIRECTOR(S)

AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Baseline and Endline Study on Convergence on Value Chain Enhancement for Rural Growth
Roehlano Briones
and Empowerment (CONVERGE)
Action-ready Climate Knowledge to Improve Disaster Risk Management for Smallholder
Sonny Domingo
Farmers in the Philippines
The Role of Networks in the Access and Utilization of Weather and Climate Information:
Aubrey Tabuga
The Case of Upland Farming Communities
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, LABOR MARKETS, AND POVERTY
Process Evaluation of Selected Programs of the DOH: National Immunization Program Valerie Gilbert Ulep
Process Evaluation of Selected Programs of the DOH : Human Resources for Health
Michael Ralph Abrigo
Deployment Program
Process Evaluation of Selected Programs of the DOH: Responsible Parenthood and Michael Ralph Abrigo
Reproductive Health (RPRH) Law Fifth Year Implementation Review Valerie Gilbert Ulep
PBED Youthworks PH Policy Research Series on Youth NEET and Training and Skilling
Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
Landscape in the Philippines
Policy Research on Youth Not in Employment, Education, and Training (NEET) in the
Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
Philippines: Who are the Youth NEET in the Philippines Today?
Addressing the Determinants of Stunting in the First 1,000 Days Valerie Gilbert Ulep
Driving Inclusion through Empowerment and Decent Work: The Case of Filipino Women in
Connie Dacuycuy
Online Work
Resilient Asia Network: The COVID-19 Context and Health System Resilience Valerie Gilbert Ulep
MACROECONOMICS, FINANCE, AND GROWTH
Annual and Quarterly Macro Model Maria Margarita Gonzales
PUBLIC ECONOMICS AND GOVERNANCE
Assessment of the Philippines’ Road and Rail Transport Infrastructure Program Adoracion Navarro
Assessment of the Country's Transport Infrastructure Program: Air and Water
Kris Francisco
Transport Sector
Assessment of the Provincial/NCR LGU Result Matrices (P/NCR LGU RMs) in the
Charlotte Justine Sicat
Localization of the PDP 2017-2022 and the SDGs
Outcome Evaluation of the Public Management Development Program Sonny Domingo
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATION
Clean Energy Technology in the Philippines: Case of the Electric Vehicle Industry Maureen Ane Rosellon
Knowledge Partnership for the Asian Economic Integration Report 2020/2021 Theme
Ramonette Serafica
Chapter on Digital Platforms: Implications for Developing Asia
National ICT Household Survey Expanded Data Analysis and Policy Research Jose Ramon Albert
National Study and National Action Plan for Regional Integration of the Philippines (with
Francis Mark Quimba
Focus on Policies toward Digital Trade Integration and Health-related Sector)
TRADE AND INDUSTRY AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY
Analyzing Trends in APEC Using Data Analytics in APEC Policy Tools Francis Mark Quimba
Towards MSMEs Internationalization: Study on the Final Review of the Boracay Action
Francis Mark Quimba
Agenda and Forum on Building Global MSMEs
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 63 >

ANNEX C
PUBLICATIONS

CODE TITLE AUTHORS

BOOKS
Navigating the New Globalization: Local Actions for Global Challenges Philippine Institute for
Book 2020-01
(Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Public Policy Conference 2019) Development Studies
RESEARCH PAPER SERIES
Vulnerability to Income Poverty in the Philippines: An Examination Jose Ramon Albert
RPS 2020-01
of Trends from 2003 to 2015 Jana Flor Vizmanos
Michael Ralph Abrigo
Rachel Racelis
Are We Missing Out on the Demographic Dividend? Trends and J.M. Ian Salas
RPS 2020-02
Prospects Alejandro Herrin
Danica Aisa Ortiz
Zhandra Tam
Nontariff Measures in the Philippines: A Preliminary Analysis Using Francis Mark Quimba
RPS 2020-03
Incidence Indicators Sylwyn Calizo Jr.
Assessing the Alignment of Data Science and Analytics (DSA)- Brenda Quismorio
RPS 2020-04 Related Undergraduate Programs with the Emerging Demands for Maria Antonette Pasquin
DSA Workforce Claire Tayco
Roehlano Briones
Roberto Clemente
RPS 2020-05 Assessment of the Free Irrigation Service Act Arlene Inocencio
Roger Luyun Jr.
Agnes Rola
PHILIPPINE JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT
PJD Vol. 44 (2017) No. 2
Role of Subjective Perceptions and Migration Culture in the
Formation of Migration Intentions: Evidence from a Rural Village in Aubrey Tabuga
the Philippines
Effect of Supply Chain Integration on Business Performance and Elaine Borazon
Competitiveness of Philippine SMEs Vivien Supangco
Possible Effects of China’s Belt and Road Initiative on Philippine Marissa Maricosa Paderon
Trade and Investments Ricardo Ang III
Enhancing the Philippine Legal, Regulatory, and Policy Framework
Luther Ramos
for Distributed Energy Resources
ECONOMIC POLICY MONITOR
Innovating Governance: Building Resilience against the COVID-19 Philippine Institute for
EPM 2019-2020
Pandemic and Other Risks Development Studies
POLICY NOTES
Jose Ramon Albert
Ronald Mendoza
PN 2020-01 Examining the Implementation of PBB Scheme in the Public Sector
Janet Cuenca
Mika Muñoz
Guillermo Tabios III
PN 2020-02 Assessing the Philippine Irrigation Development Program
Tomas de Leon
< 64 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

CODE TITLE AUTHORS

PN 2020-03 Why and How Should We Value Unpaid Work? Connie Dacuycuy
Brenda Quismorio
Aligning Higher Education with Demands for Data Science
PN 2020-04 Maria Antonette Pasquin
Workforce
Claire Tayco
Arlene Inocencio
PN 2020-05 Irrigation Investments: Some Recurring and Emerging Issues
Roehlano Briones
Ludwig John Pascual
Answering Critical Questions on Small-scale Mining in the
PN 2020-06 Sonny Domingo
Philippines
Arvie Joy Manejar
Sonny Domingo
PN 2020-07 Bottlenecks to Formalization of Small-scale Mining in PH
Arvie Joy Manejar
PN 2020-08 Mitigating Climate Change through Mangrove Forest Madonna Daquigan
PN 2020-09 Are Marine-Protected Areas Sheltered from Plastic Pollution? Maria Kristina Paler
DISCUSSION PAPERS
Roberto Clemente
Arthur Fajardo
Assessing the Resurgent Irrigation Development Program of the Vicente Ballaran Jr.
DP 2020-01
Philippines-National Irrigation Systems Component Julie Carl Ureta
Arman Baulita
Kristel Camille Tapire
Assessing the Resurgent Irrigation Development Program of the Roger Luyun Jr.
DP 2020-02
Philippines-Communal Irrigation Systems Component Dulce Elazegui
Charlotte Justine Sicat
Baseline Study on Policy and Governance Gaps for the Local Catharine Adaro
DP 2020-03 Government Support Fund Assistance to Municipalities (LGSF-AM) Ricxie Maddawin
Program Angel Faye Castillo
Maria Alma Mariano
DP 2020-04 Fiscal Decentralization and Health Service Delivery: An Assessment Janet Cuenca
Charlotte Justine Sicat
Assessment of the Performance Challenge Fund and the Seal of Maria Alma Mariano
DP 2020-05
Good Local Governance: Perceptions from Municipalities Angel Faye Castillo
Ricxie Maddawin
Efficiency of Local Governments in Health Service Delivery:
DP 2020-06 Janet Cuenca
A Stochastic Frontier Analysis
The Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) as a Local
Charlotte Justine Sicat
Planning Tool: Results from the PIDS-DILG Baseline Study on Policy
DP 2020-07 Catharine Adaro
and Governance Gaps for the Local Government Support Fund
Ricxie Maddawin
Assistance to Municipalities (LGSF-AM) Program
Agnes Rola
Assessing the Resurgent Irrigation Development Program of the Therese Olviga
DP 2020-08
Philippines – Institutional Arrangements for Irrigation Governance Francis John Faderogao
Chrislyn Joanna Faulmino
Development of Crop Climate Calendars for High-Value Crops in
Sonny Domingo
Atok, Benguet: Report from Preliminary Co-Learning and
DP 2020-09 Anna Jennifer Umlas
Co-Development Engagements with Agricultural Stakeholders in
Katrina Mae Zuluaga
Benguet Province
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 65 >

CODE TITLE AUTHORS

Sonny Domingo
Adrian Agbon
Barriers to Application of Weather and Climate Information in Cut Ma. Divina Olaguera
DP 2020-10
Flower Production in Benguet Anna Jennifer Umlas
Katrina Mae Zuluaga
Celia Reyes
Assessing the Resurgent Irrigation Development Program Guillermo Tabios III
DP 2020-11
of the Philippines – Water Resources Component Tomas Paolo de Leon
Sonny Domingo
Developing Rapid Climate Decision Analysis Tool in Smallholder
DP 2020-12 Anna Jennifer Umlas
High-Value Crop Farming in Atok, Benguet
Katrina Mae Zuluaga
DP 2020-13 Analysis of the 2020 President’s Budget Janet S. Cuenca
Sonny Domingo
Adrian Agbon
Barriers to Application of Weather and Climate Information in Ma. Divina Olaguera
DP 2020-14
Smallholder Vegetable Farming in Benguet Anna Jennifer Umlas
Katrina Mae Zuluaga
Celia Reyes
Michael Ralph Abrigo
Projected Disease Transmission, Health System Requirements, Jhanna Uy
DP 2020-15 and Macroeconomic Impacts of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Nel Jason Haw
(COVID-19) in the Philippines Valerie Gilbert Ulep
Kris Abrigo
Celia Reyes
Connie Dacuycuy
Michael Ralph Abrigo
Francis Mark Quimba
Nicoli Arthur Borromeo
PIDS-BSP Annual Macroeconometric Model for the Philippines:
DP 2020-16 Dennis Bautista
Preliminary Estimates and Ways Forward
Jan Christopher Ocampo
Lora Kryz Baje
Sylwyn Calizo Jr.
Zhandra Tam
Gabriel Iñigo Hernandez
Agricultural Employment and the Rural Household:
DP 2020-17 Roehlano Briones
A Characterization for Selected Provinces in the Philippines
Fiscal Sustainability, Equity, and Allocative Efficiency in the
DP 2020-18 Light of the 2019 Supreme Court Ruling on the LGUs’ Share Rosario Manasan
in National Taxes
Looking at Local Government Resilience through Network Data Sonny Domingo
DP 2020-19
Envelopment Analysis Arvie Joy Manejar
Sonny Domingo
DP 2020-20 Review of Indigenous Peoples Policy and Institutional Grounding
Arvie Joy Manejar
Assessing the Resurgent Irrigation Development Program of the Arlene Inocencio
DP 2020-21
Philippines: Synthesis Report Albert Dale Inocencio
Jose Ramon Albert
Michael Ralph Abrigo
DP 2020-22 Poverty, the Middle Class, and Income Distribution amid COVID-19
Francis Mark Quimba
Jana Flor Vizmanos
< 66 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

CODE TITLE AUTHORS

Aubrey Tabuga
Innovating Governance: Building Resilience against COVID-19 Sonny Domingo
DP 2020-23
Pandemic and Other Risks Charlotte Justine Sicat
Valerie Gilbert Ulep
The Role of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) Marife Ballesteros
DP 2020-24
in Agriculture Value Chain Jenica Ancheta
Francis Mark Quimba
DP 2020-25 FTA Utilization of Philippine Imports Maureen Ane Rosellon
Sylwyn Calizo Jr.
Boosting Agricultural Productivity through Parcelization of
DP 2020-26 Ivory Myka Galang
Collective Certificate of Land Ownership Awards
Connie Dacuycuy
Towards a Sustainable Online Work in the Philippines: Learnings
Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
DP 2020-27 from the Online Survey of Market and Nonmarket Work during the
Ramonette Serafica
Enhanced Community Quarantine Lora Kryz Baje
Towards Measuring the Platform Economy: Concepts, Indicators,
DP 2020-28 Jose Ramon Albert
and Issues
Connie Dacuycuy
Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
DP 2020-29 Online Work in the Philippines: Some Lessons in the Asian Context
Ramonette Serafica
Lora Kryz Baje
Francis Mark Quimba
Digital Divide and the Platform Economy: Looking for the
DP 2020-30 Maureen Ane Rosellon
Connection from the Asian Experience
Sylwyn Calizo Jr.
Francis Mark Quimba
Mark Anthony Barral
DP 2020-31 Impact of FTA on Philippine Industries: Analysis of Network Effects
Maureen Ane Rosellon
Sylwyn Calizo Jr.
Jose Ramon Albert
Ana Maria Tabunda
Carlos Primo David
Future S&T Human Resource Requirements in the Philippines:
DP 2020-32 Kris Francisco
A Labor Market Analysis
Charlie Labina
Janet Cuenca
Jana Flor Vizmanos
Lawrence Velasco
Charlotte Justine Sicat
DP 2020-33 The Philippine Local Government Water Sector
Angel Faye Castillo
Ricxie Maddawin
Jose Ramon Albert
Ronald Mendoza
Evaluation of the Effects of the Performance-Based Bonus
DP 2020-34 Janet Cuenca
Incentive Scheme
Jana Flor Vizmanos
Mika Muñoz
DP 2020-35 Analysis of the 2021 President’s Budget Janet Cuenca
Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
Impacts of the Sustainable Livelihood Program’s Microenterprise Marife Ballesteros
DP 2020-36 Development Assistance with Seed Capital Fund on Poor John Paul Corpus
Households in the Philippines Vicente Paqueo
Celia Reyes
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 67 >

CODE TITLE AUTHORS

Francis Mark Quimba
How Does the Philippines Fare in Meeting ASEAN Economic
DP 2020-37 Maureen Ane Rosellon
Community Vision 2025?
Jean Clarisse Carlos
Connie Dacuycuy
Towards a More Sustainable Financing of Small Farmers and Marife Ballesteros
DP 2020-38
Fisherfolk’s Agricultural Production Lora Kryz Baje
Jenica Ancheta
Valerie Gilbert Ulep
Primary Health Care for Noncommunicable Diseases
DP 2020-39 Jhanna Uy
in the Philippines
Lyle Daryll Casas
On the Employability of the Senior High School Graduates: Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
DP 2020-40
Evidence from the Labor Force Survey Maropsil Potestad
Projecting Loan Demand from Small Farmers and Fishers
DP 2020-41 Geoffrey Ducanes
in the Philippines
The Unfinished Agenda of Trade Liberalization in Philippine
DP 2020-42 Agriculture: Assessing the Impact of Reducing Tariff and Roehlano Briones
Nontariff Barriers
Did the Opening Up of Rice Importation in the Philippines Worsen
DP 2020-43 Income Poverty and Inequality? A General Equilibrium with Roehlano Briones
Microsimulation Approach
Land Tenure, Access to Credit, and Agricultural Performance of
DP 2020-44 Ivory Myka Galang
ARBs, Farmer Beneficiaries, and Other Rural Workers
Cross-Border Issues for Digital Platforms: A Review of Regulations
DP 2020-45 Aiken Larisa Serzo
Applicable to Philippine Digital Platforms
Ramonette Serafica
DP 2020-46 Costs and Benefits of New Disciplines on Electronic Commerce Francis Mark Quimba
Janet Cuenca
Cross-Border Data Regulation for Digital Platforms:
DP 2020-47 Aiken Larisa Serzo
Data Privacy and Security
Charlotte Justine Sicat
Philippine Local Government Public Expenditure Review: A Survey of
DP 2020-48 Angel Faye Castillo
National Government Local Government Support Programs
Ricxie Maddawin
The Structure of Social Relations in the Community: An Empirical Aubrey Tabuga
DP 2020-49
Analysis for Achieving Social and Economic Inclusion Carlos Cabaero
Celia Reyes
DP 2020-50 Evidence-based Local Planning and Budgeting Using CBMS Anna Rita Vargas
Arkin Arboneda
Who Wins and Who Loses from PhilHealth? Cost and Benefit
DP 2020-51 Michael Ralph Abrigo
Incidence of Social Health Insurance in a Lifecycle Perspective
Understanding the Costs and Benefits of Digital Platforms and the Ramonette Serafica
DP 2020-52
Implications for Policymaking and Regulation Queen Cel Oren
Nina Victoria Araos
Deepening the Narrative: Qualitative Follow-up Study on the Third
DP 2020-53 Kris Ann Melad
Impact Evaluation of Pantawid Pamilya
Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
Review of the “Build, Build, Build” Program: Implications on the
DP 2020-54 Janet Cuenca
Philippine Development Plan 2017–2022
Celia Reyes
Ronina Asis
DP 2020-55 Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Poverty
Arkin Arboneda
Anna Rita Vargas
< 68 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

CODE TITLE AUTHORS

Celia Reyes
Does Economic Growth Benefit the Poor? Evidence from the Arkin Arboneda
DP 2020-56
2015–2018 Growth Episode Ronina Asis
Anna Rita Vargas
Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
Correlates of Test Performance of 15-year-old Students in the
DP 2020-57 Kris Ann Melad
Philippines: Evidence from PISA
Maropsil Potestad
Exploring the Feasibility of Content Analysis in Understanding Francis Mark Quimba
DP 2020-58
International Cooperation in APEC Mark Anthony Barral
Kris Ann Melad
Giving Cash to the Poor: A Study of Pantawid Pamilya Cash Grants
DP 2020-59 Nina Victoria Araos
Generosity, Frequency, and Modality
Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH NEWS
DRN 2020
New college grads 'mismatched' to their jobs PIDS Research Information Staff
Vol. 38 No.1
DRN 2020
Flattening the curve is not enough PIDS Research Information Staff
Vol. 38 No.2
DRN 2020
Expert flags fiscal risk in SC ruling on LGU revenue share PIDS Research Information Staff
Vol. 38 No.3
DRN 2020
Lack of innovation cripples PH COVID-response PIDS Research Information Staff
Vol. 38 No.4
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 69 >

ANNEX D
ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA MATERIALS
ANNEX (SOCIAL
DATE TITLE

PIDS UPDATES (E-NEWSLETTER)

January-December
New publications, past and forthcoming events, press releases, infographics
2020 (monthly
POLICY ISSUE AT A GLANCE INFOGRAPHICS

January How is the Philippines faring in SDG achievement? (Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth)

March Fiscal and Governance Gaps among Municipalities in the Philippines

April Life After College: How Are Our Graduates Doing?

June Leveraging Services for Regional Development in PH

July Do We Have Enough Health Workers in PH?

FACT FRIDAY INFOGRAPHICS

Healthcare workers in the Philippines

January 3 Reference: Who Are the Health Workers and Where Are They? Revealed Preferences in Location Decision
among Health Care Professionals in the Philippines
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6930Healthcare)
[VIDEO] Issues hounding the country’s mining industry

References: Challenges in the Philippine mining industry (https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/

January 10 PUBLICATIONS/pidspn1904.pdf); Answering Critical Questions on Mining in the Philippines: Phase 2

(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1922.pdf); Answering Critical Questions on

Mining in the Philippines (https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1838.pdf)
Benefits of foreign linkages
January 17 Reference: Impact of Foreign Linkages on Innovation Activity of Manufacturing Firms in CALABARZON
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6898)
[VIDEO] The Philippines’ ageing population and its implication
January 24 Reference: Silver Linings for the Elderly in the Philippines: Policies and Programs for Senior Citizens
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6894)
[VIDEO] Social protection programs for senior citizens
January 31 Reference: Silver Linings for the Elderly in the Philippines: Policies and Programs for Senior Citizens
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6894)
Influence of APEC on Philippine trade and investment
February 7 Reference: The Evolution of APEC and its Role in the Philippine Trade and Investment
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6867)
[VIDEO] Issues in financial inclusion in the Philippines
February 14 Reference: E-Finance in the Philippines: Status and Prospects for Digital Financial Inclusion
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1822.pdf)
< 70 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

DATE TITLE
Philippine government’s agricultural insurance program
February 21 Reference: Towards a More Inclusive Agricultural Insurance Program (https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/
PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1938.pdf)

[VIDEO] How the Philippines fares in the pursuit of UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education)
February 28 Reference: The Philippines’ Voluntary National Review on the Sustainable Development Goals
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6901)

Ageing population in the Philippines

March 6 Reference: Financing Universal Health Care in an Ageing Philippines
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1923.pdf)
[VIDEO] How the Philippines fares in the pursuit of UN Sustainable Development Goal 8
(Decent Work and Economic Growth)
March 13
Reference: The Philippines’ Voluntary National Review on the Sustainable Development Goals
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6901)
Interconnected nature of risks
March 20 Reference: Risks, Shocks, Building Resilience
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsepm2015-2016_rev.pdf)
[VIDEO] The K-12 program, the profile of students and schools, and feedback from students and firms
March 27 Reference: Senior High School and the Labor Market: Perspectives of Grade 12 Students and Human
Resource Officers (https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6762)
Timeliness of immunization
April 3 Reference: Too Early, Too Late: Timeliness of Child Vaccination in the Philippines (https://pidswebs.pids.
gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1921.pdf)
[VIDEO] Job prospects for senior high school graduates and the willingness of firms to hire them
April 10 Reference: Senior High School and the Labor Market: Perspectives of Grade 12 Students and Human
Resource Officers (https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6762)
Importance of weather and climate information in making farm decisions
April 17 Reference: Barriers to Application of Weather and Climate Information in Smallholder Vegetable Farming
in Benguet (https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps2014.pdf)
[VIDEO] Fiscal and governance gaps among municipalities in the Philippines (Part 1)
April 24 Reference: Baseline Study on Policy and Governance Gaps for the Local Government Support Fund
Assistance to Municipalities (LGSF-AM) Program (https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6989)
Fiscal decentralization and health service delivery in the country
May 1 Reference: Fiscal Decentralization and Health Service Delivery: An Assessment
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps2004.pdf)
[VIDEO] Fiscal and governance gaps among municipalities in the Philippines (Part 2)
May 8 Reference: Baseline Study on Policy and Governance Gaps for the Local Government Support Fund
Assistance to Municipalities (LGSF-AM) Program (https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6989)
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 71 >

DATE TITLE
Implementation of the Early Childhood Care Development – First 1,000 Days (ECCD-F1KD) Program in
Zamboanga del Norte
May 15 Reference: Situational Analysis of Distal Factors Affecting Early Childhood Care and Development in the
First 1000 Days of Life in Zamboanga del Norte
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1928.pdf)
[VIDEO] Forest protection in the Philippines
May 22
Reference: Forest Protection in the Philippines (https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6767)
Agricultural employment and rural household in the Philippines
May 29 Reference: Agricultural Employment and the Rural Household: A Characterization for Selected Provinces
in the Philippines (https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps2017.pdf)
[VIDEO] Childhood stunting in the Philippines
June 5 Reference: Preventing Childhood Stunting: Why and How?
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidspn1716.pdf)
E-commerce adoption of businesses in the Philippines
June 12 Reference: Determinants of E-Commerce Adoption of Philippine Businesses
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6916)
Comprehensive land use plans (CLUPs) of local government units in the Philippines
June 19 Reference: Disaster Preparedness and Local Governance in the Philippines
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6766)
Small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) participation in global value chains
June 26 Reference: Obstacles and Enablers of Internationalization of Philippine SMEs Through Participation in
Global Value Chains (https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1807.pdf)
E-finance in the Philippines
July 3 Reference: E-Finance in the Philippines: Status and Prospects for Digital Financial Inclusion
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6722)
Rent control law

July 10 Reference: Beyond the Rent: Studying the Unintended Consequences of Housing Rent Control Law in
Metro Manila in Unintended Consequences: The Folly of Uncritical Thinking (https://pidswebs.pids.gov.
ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsbk2017-unintended_fnl2.pdf)
Indigenous peoples’ rights policy
July 17 Reference: Review of Indigenous Peoples Policy and Institutional Grounding
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/7074)
Nontariff measures in the Philippines
July 24 Reference: Nontariff Measures in the Philippines: A Preliminary Analysis Using Incidence Indicators
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6999)
Disaster risk resilience of local governments in the Philippines
July 31 Reference: Looking at Local Government Resilience through Network Data Envelopment Analysis
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/7073)
< 72 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

DATE TITLE
The livestock industry in the Philippines
August 7 Reference: Review of High-Value Agriculture in the Philippines with Comprehensive Subsectoral Focus:
Livestock Industries (https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1751.pdf)
Local government planning
August 14 Reference: Assessment of the Philippine Local Government Planning and Budgeting Framework
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1918.pdf)
Forest protection in the Philippines
August 21
Reference: Forest protection in the Philippines (https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6767)
Development Policy Research Month (DPRM) celebration
August 28
Reference: DPRM 2020 celebration (https://dprm.pids.gov.ph/)
Institutional innovation and reforms
September 4 Reference: Innovating governance: Building resilience against COVID-19 pandemic and other risks
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/7126)
Innovations in civil service
September 11 Reference: Innovating governance: Building resilience against COVID-19 pandemic and other risks
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/7126)
E-government
September 18 Reference: Innovating governance: Building resilience against COVID-19 pandemic and other risks
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/7126)
Smart cities and smart governance
September 25 Reference: Innovating governance: Building resilience against COVID-19 pandemic and other risks
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/7126)
Small-scale mining in the Philippines
October 2 Reference: Answering Critical Questions on Mining in the Philippines: Phase 2
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/6914)
Impact of government incentives on Philippine MSMEs
October 9 Reference: Impact of Government Incentive on MSME Innovation
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1927.pdf)
Mutual recognition arrangements

October 16 Reference: Assessing the Readiness of Filipino MRA-supported Professions To Participate in the Mobility
of Skilled Labor in the ASEAN Region: Lessons for APEC Economies
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1912.pdf)
Health programs and services for children
October 23 Reference: Situation Analysis of ECCD-F1KD Initiatives in Selected UNICEF-KOICA Provinces
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1931.pdf)
Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) scheme

October 30 References: Process Evaluation of the Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) Scheme (https://pidswebs.pids.
gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1915.pdf) and Examining the Implementation of PBB Scheme in
the Public Sector: (https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidspn2001.pdf)
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 73 >

DATE TITLE
Data science and analytics (DSA) profession

November 6 Reference: Assessing the Alignment of Data Science and Analytics (DSA)-Related Undergraduate
Programs with the Emerging Demands for DSA Workforce
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsrp2004.pdf)
Economic cost of disasters
November 13 Reference: Institutional Issues on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/5890)
Price control during disasters
November 20 Reference: Welfare Issues in Price Control on Occasions of Calamities, Emergencies, and Like Occurrences
(https://www.pids.gov.ph/publications/5892)
Addressing the challenges and opportunities created by demographic change
November 27 Reference: Are We Missing Out on the Demographic Dividend? Trends and Prospects (https://www.pids.
gov.ph/publications/6997)
Challenges faced by households with children with disabilities
December 4 Reference: Health Practices of Children and Women with Disabilities
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1760.pdf)
Agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs)
December 11 Reference:The Role of Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations (ARBOs) in Agriculture Value Chain
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps2024.pdf)
Platform workers’ challenges

December 18 Reference: Towards a Sustainable Online Work in the Philippines: Learnings from the Online Survey of
Market and Nonmarket Work during the Enhanced Community Quarantine
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps2027.pdf)
Characteristics of digital economy participants
December 25 Reference: Digital Divide and the Platform Economy: Looking for the Connection from the Asian
Experience (https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps2030.pdf)
PIDS INFOBITS
Uneven distribution of health workers across cities and municipalities

December 14 Reference: Who Are the Health Workers and Where Are They? Revealed Preferences in Location
Decision among Health Care Professionals in the Philippines
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1932.pdf)
Courses commonly taken by college graduates in the Philippines

References: Philippine Graduate Tracer Study

December 21 (https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1926.pdf);
PowerPoint presentation
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/EVENTS/20200213_gts4_public_seminar.pdf)
Labor force participation of PH graduates

References: Philippine Graduate Tracer Study 4

December 28 (https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1926.pdf);
PowerPoint presentation
(https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/EVENTS/20200213_gts4_public_seminar.pdf)
< 74 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

ANNEX E
SEMINARS/EVENTS

DATE TITLE MODE/VENUE/TIME PRESENTERS

Aniceto Orbeta
Public Seminar on Reforms in the PH Face-to-face /PIDS conference Karen Dominique Brillantes
February 13
Education Sector hall / 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm Melba Tutor
Jennifer Monje
Technical Discussion on Distributional
Impacts of the Tax Reform for Face-to-face / PIDS conference
February 26 Rong Qian
Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) hall / 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
program (a World Bank study)
Dissemination Seminar on Asia’s
Face-to-face / PIDS conference
March 05 Journey to Prosperity: Policy, Market, Juzhong Zhuang
hall / 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
and Technology over 50 Years
Joey Salceda
Connie Dacuycuy
Launch of PIDS Gender Book ‘Outside Face-to-face / Novotel, Cubao, Laura del Rosario
March 09 Looking In: Gendered Perspectives in Quezon City / 1:30 pm - 4:00 Jeanette Kindipan-Dulawan
Work and Education’ pm Kristine Balmes
Rex Varona
Sheona McKenna
PIDS webinar on COVID 19 in PH: Michael Abrigo
May 14 Projected Impacts on Health System and Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Valerie Gilbert Ulep
Economy Jhanna Uy
PIDS webinar on Examining the Valerie Gilbert Ulep
May 21 Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Timeliness of Child Vaccination in PH Jhanna Uy
PIDS webinar on Filipino Health Michael Abrigo
May 28 Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Workers: Where are they? Danica Ortiz
Shuvojit Banerjee
PIDS webinar on Promoting Sustainable Janet Cuenca
June 4 Virtual / 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Economies and Better Public Health Marites Tiongco
Beverly Ho
PIDS webinar on How Can the
June 11 Philippine Statistical System Keep Up Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Jose Ramon Albert
with FIRe and Other Challenges?
PIDS webinar on Gender Gaps on Social
June 18 Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Aubrey Tabuga
Protection Coverage in the Philippines
PIDS webinar on Aligning Supply of and
June 25 Demand for Data Science and Analytics Virtual / 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Brenda Quismorio
Workforce
PIDS webinar on Making Agricultural
Celia Reyes
July 2 Insurance in the Philippines More Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Romeo Salting
Inclusive
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 75 >

DATE TITLE MODE/VENUE/TIME PRESENTERS

PIDS webinar on Examining Early Aubrey Tabuga
July 9 Childhood Care and Interventions on Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Connie Dacuycuy
the Ground Michael Abrigo
PIDS-DILG webinar on Examining Justine Sicat
July 16 Fiscal and Governance Gaps among Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm Paul Huthcroft
Municipalities in the Philippines Cynthia Falcotelo-Fortes
PIDS webinar on Addressing the Needs Celia Reyes
July 23 Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
of Senior Citizens in the Philippines Joseline Niwane
PIDS-DILG webinar on Looking at the
Justine Sicat
Performance Challenge Fund and Seal
July 30 Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm Dakila Cua
of Good Local Governance through the
Lewis Hawke
Lens of Municipal Governments
PIDS webinar on Small-scale Mining in
Ludwig Pascual
August 6 the Philippines: Challenges and Ways Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Teodorico Sandoval
Forward
Justine Sicat
PIDS-DILG webinar on Assessing the Alellie Sobrevinas
August 13 CBMS as a Tool in Local Development Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm Dahlia Loyola
Planning Jasmin Angelli Maligaya-
Bautista
PIDS webinar on Internal Revenue
Rosario Manasan
Allotment in Light of the 2019 Supreme
August 20 Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Anna Liza Bonagua
Court Ruling: Fiscal Sustainability,
Hermilando Mandanas
Equity, and Allocative Efficiency
Aubrey Tabuga
Justine D. Sicat
Sonny Domingo
18th Development Policy Research Valerie Gilbert Ulep
September 1 Virtual / 9:30 am - 11:30 am
Month Kickoff Forum Carlos Abad Santos
Rolando Toledo
Iluminada Sicat
Abby Binay
Renato Solidum
Danilo Lachica
PIDS-DOST Roundtable Discussion on
Ephrime Metillo
September 3 S&T Human Resource Requirements in Virtual / 9:30 am - 11:35 am
Merwin Salazar
the Philippines Josette Biyo
Jose Ramon Albert
APPC Webinar Series Session 1: James Brumby
Innovation in Public Sector Governance Panthea Lee
September 15 Virtual / 9:00 am – 11:30 am
for Resilience under a New Normal: Maria Teresa Magno-Garcia
Theory and Practice Gerardo Sicat
Ju-Ho Lee
APPC Webinar Series Session 2: Sean McDonald
September 17 Institutional Innovations and Reforms Virtual / 9:00 am – 11:30 am Raymund Liboro
under the New Normal Ronald Mendoza
Aiken Larisa Serzo
< 76 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

DATE TITLE MODE/VENUE/TIME PRESENTERS

Sonny Domingo
Enrico Basilio
6th Mindanao Policy Research Roehlano Briones
Forum (Theme: Bouncing Back in the Rogel Mari Sese
September 18 New Normal through Countryside Virtual / 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Mary Grace Mirandilla-Santos
Development and Agricultural Jesus Antonio Derije
Resilience) John Carlo Tria
Hussein Lidasan
Alan Silor
Viroj Tangcharoensathien
APPC Webinar Series Session 3:
Naomi Aoki
September 22 Strengthening the Civil Service under Virtual / 9:00 am – 11:30 am
Alicia dela Rosa-Bala
the New Normal Eduardo Banzon
Stephanie Sy
APPC Webinar Series Session 4: Smart
Alfredo Mahar Francisco
September 24 Systems for Agile Governance under the Virtual / 9:00 am – 11:30 am
Lagmay
New Normal
Laura Ignacio
Simulating the Impacts of COVID-19 on Jose Ramon Albert
October 8 Poverty and Income Distribution in the Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm Joseline Niwane
Philippines Elvin Ivan Uy
Weather and Climate Information Sonny Domingo
October 15 Needs of Small Farmers: Challenges and Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm Perla Baltazar
Opportunities Thelma Cinco
Jose Ramon Albert
Examining the Design and Conduct of
Ronahlee Asuncion
October 22 the Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) Virtual / 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Greg Pineda
Scheme
Imelda Caluen
Assessing the Readiness of Filipino Tereso Tullao, Jr.
November 19 Professionals to Participate in the Virtual / 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm Yolanda D. Reyes
Mobility of Skilled Labor in ASEAN Arnel Onesimo Uy
Understanding the Role of the Asia- Francis Mark Quimba
November 26 Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Virtual / 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm Marie Sherylyn Aquia
Philippine Trade and Investment Eric Gerardo Tamayo
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 77 >

ANNEX F
PRESS RELEASES

DATE POSTED TITLE

January 27 PIDS holds groundbreaking ceremony for new building in QC

March 2 Sports, arts tracks least offered among SHS institutions
March 3 PIDS study finds low adoption rate of e-commerce among PH firms
March 9 New book of PIDS reveals gender issues in PH education and labor sectors
March 19 Use of mother tongue in teaching facing implementation challenges
March 20 ADB identifies PH priority areas to maintain economic stability
March 21 PIDS study identifies gains, challenges in SHS implementation
March 23 Women’s labor market participation in PH low, says gender experts
March 25 Solon calls for ‘systemic solution’ to resolve PH ‘systemic problem’ on educ
March 26 PIDS to gov’t: Develop data science workforce amid FIRe
March 27 Address uneven distribution of health workers in PH—PIDS study
March 30 Women have less access to social protection programs than men in PH—PIDS study
April 6 Tap private sector to address untimely immunization in PH—PIDS study
April 8 Reform domestic regulations to improve Filipino professionals' labor mobility in ASEAN—PIDS study
April 9 PIDS to gov't: Craft policies and programs for unpaid work
April 13 APEC's influence on PH gov't policies minimal—PIDS study
April 16 COVID-19 may cost PH economy up to PHP2.5 trillion pesos—PIDS study
April 16 PH must isolate 70% of infectious cases post-ECQ to suppress COVID-19 outbreak—PIDS study
April 17 JPEPA has slight impact on PH export—PIDS study
April 20 Gov’t incentives can drive MSMEs to innovate—PIDS study
April 21 PH services sector scores significant growth in employment, says PIDS
April 30 Benguet farmers face barriers in using weather, climate info
May 1 PH ageing population requires more budget for UHC Act—PIDS study
May 4 Review financial incentive program, performance assessment tool for LGUs—PIDS study
May 8 PIDS study identifies factors affecting unmet PH irrigation dev’t targets
May 11 Issues in PH small-scale mining hampering sector dev’t—PIDS study
May 15 CBMS widely used in local dev’t planning—PIDS study
PIDS-UNESCAP virtual event underscores prioritizing people, planet over economy
June 15
amid COVID-19 pandemic
July 11 PIDS-IPOPHL to pursue joint efforts in intellectual property and innovation
July 20 Health decentralization in PH ineffective
August 25 Agile and innovative governance, key to winning over COVID-19 pandemic and other risks
August 25 Gov't may ‘unfund’ some of its programs to afford the increase in LGUs' IRA—PIDS study
September 7 Sound e-government system, crucial to efficient delivery of services in the 'new normal'
< 78 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

DATE POSTED TITLE

Integrate data and info systems, strengthen coordination in gov't to deal with COVID-19 and other
September 8
crises—PIDS
September 9 Gov't must innovate to win the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, other risks
September 16 Innovate agri sector to ensure food security, boost resilience amid pandemic and other crises
September 18 Gov't must adopt smart solutions to deal with the pandemic, other risks
September 19 E-finance key to helping Filipinos cope with COVID-19 pandemic
October 1 Gov'ts should reshape existing systems to adapt to the new normal
October 2 PH must address digital infra gaps to cope with the pandemic, other risks
October 5 Poverty incidence in PH may rise due to pandemic but reducing poverty still doable—NEDA chief
October 6 Satellite imagery and unconventional data sources are cheaper options to infer poverty estimates
October 7 Gov'ts urged to collaborate with people, communities to face the 'new normal'
October 12 PIDS bags CSC's PRIME-HRM Award
Technology-led responses to COVID-19 and other risks should serve public interest—governance
October 13
expert
October 14 Civil servants must embrace 'new mindsets' in a 'tech-powered new normal'—Japanese expert
October 15 Harness the power of AI in educ amid COVID-19 outbreak—South Korean expert
October 29 Localized weather and climate info, crucial for climate-resilient agri-fishery sector
November 4 Integrate science-based info in local development plans, DRRM efforts—Filipino scientist
November 4 Fintech usage among Filipinos increases amid COVID-19 pandemic—BSP
November 5 Thai health expert shares contributing factors to a country's effective COVID-19 response
November 10 Deeper collab between gov't, CSOs urged as PH grapples with pandemic
November 11 Nat'l ID system can address delays in gov't aid distribution to beneficiaries—DSWD official
November 12 State weather bureau urged to address barriers in using weather and climate info
November 26 PIDS study pinpoints issues in the gov't's PBB program
December 1 PH gov't urged to revisit labor and educ policies, mechanisms to keep up with int'l standards
December 2 PH's mutual agreements with ASEAN to drive human capital dev't among Filipinos
December 4 APEC 'most important multilateral engagement' of PH so far—DFA official
December 9 PH should seize opportunities from APEC membership
December 10 Mangrove forests can help mitigate climate change impacts in PH—PIDS study
December 12 Farmer orgs help small-scale farmers participate in agri value chain—PIDS study
December 15 PH among major contributors to plastic pollution, study shows
December 23 PIDS-ADB study urges protection of consumer rights amid the rise of platform economy
December 24 PIDS-ADB study identifies those who will benefit from digital economy
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 79 >

ANNEX G
DEVELOPMENT POLICY RESEARCH MONTH
REPORTED ACTIVITIES

A. FORA

DATE TITLE VENUE ORGANIZER

18th Development Policy Research Month
September 1 Virtual PIDS
Kickoff Forum
6th Annual Public Policy Conference Series
Opening Ceremony and Innovation in Public
September 15 Virtual PIDS
Sector Governance for Resilience under a
New Normal: Theory and Practice
6th Annual Public Policy Conference Series
September 17 on Institutional Innovations and Reforms Virtual PIDS
under the New Normal

Mindanao Development
September 18 6th Mindanao Policy Research Forum Virtual Authority, in partnership with
PIDS

6th Annual Public Policy Conference Series

September 22 on Strengthening the Civil Service under the Virtual PIDS
New Normal

Innovating Together: The Collaborative Role Philippine Competition

September 23 Virtual
of Start-ups in Good Governance Commission

6th Annual Public Policy Conference Series

September 24 on Smart Systems for Agile Governance Virtual PIDS
under the New Normal

B. DISPLAY OF ELECTRONIC DPRM BANNER ON THEIR WEBSITE AND/OR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES
1 Camarines Norte State College
2 China Banking Corporation
3 City Government of Alaminos, Pangasinan
4 City Government of Antipolo
5 City Government of Catbalogan
6 City Government of Oroquieta
7 Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
8 Department of Education (DepEd)
9 Department of Health (DOH)
10 Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
11 Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP)

NOTE: This list contains the activities organized by PIDS and those reported by specific agencies. There could be other DPRM
events conducted but were not brought to the attention of PIDS.
< 80 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

12 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Philippines

13 Institute for Labor Studies (ILS) – DOLE
14 Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) – Philippines
15 Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP)
16 Local Government Unit of Luna, Apayao
17 Local Government of Mataasnakahoy, Batangas
18 Municipal Government of Carmona, Cavite
19 National Economic and Development Authority-Regional Office I
20 National Economic and Development Authority-Regional Office IV-B
21 National Economic and Development Authority-Regional Office X
22 National Economic and Development Authority-Regional Office XIII
23 National Food Authority (NFA)
24 National Food Authority – Region IX
25 National Food Authority – Zamboanga del Sur
26 National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR)
27 National Transmission Corporation (TRANSCO)
28 Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)
29 Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA)
30 Philippine Competition Commission (PhCC)
31 Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC)
32 Philippine Guarantee Corporation
33 Philippine Information Agency – Region I
34 Philippine Information Agency – Region XIII
35 Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP)
36 Provincial Government of Cavite
37 Provincial Government of Isabela
38 Provincial Government of Zambales
39 Public-Private Partnership Center of the Philippines (PPP)
40 Tariff Commission
41 Valencia Water District
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 81 >

ANNEX H
INTERNATIONAL LINKAGES

A. PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL FORA

PIDS TITLE AND ORGANIZER DATE NATURE OF
OFFICIAL/FELLOW PARTICIPATION
2020 National Transfer Accounts (NTA)
Workshop on Micro-Distributional NTA:
Investigating Inequality, Human Capital, May 11–12, 2020 Discussant
and Changing Population Composition
in a Longitudinal Context
Michael Ralph Abrigo
Global Meeting on Population and the
Generational Economy, co-organized by
Paper presenter
the East-West Center and Center for the August 3–7, 2020
and discussant
Economics and Demography of Aging at the
University of California in Berkeley
Asian Development Bank (ADB) Annual
May 26–27, 2020 Attendee
Conference, organized by ADB
Dialogue on Digital Inclusion and
Development in Asia, organized by June 23, 2020 Attendee
World Benchmarking Alliance
Virtual Conference on Making Digital Platforms
Participant and
Work for Asia, jointly organized by ADB and June 25–26, 2020
speaker
ADB Institute
On-Line Stakeholders Validation Meeting on
Rural Regional Transformation: Pathways,
Jose Ramon Albert Policy Sequencing, and Development
August 27, 2020 Attendee
Outcomes in China, the Philippines, and
Vietnam, organized by International Fund for
Agricultural Development
Asian Economic Integration Report (AEIR)
2021 Theme Chapter International Workshop Participant and
August 24, 2020
on Making Digital Platform Work Speaker
for Asia and the Pacific, organized by ADB
Virtual Workshop on Data Flows
in the Philippines, organized by World December 1, 2020 Moderator
Economic Forum
2020 Global Trade and Innovation Policy
Alliance (GTIPA) Virtual Summit, organized
Marife Ballesteros October 28–29, 2020 Speaker
by Information Technology and Innovation
Foundation (ITIF)
Virtual Conference on Making Digital Platforms
Work for Asia, jointly organized by ADB and June 25–26, 2020 Presenter
ADB Institute
Participant
Connie Dacuycuy
International Labour Organization-Department (provided insights
of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia) July 10, 2020 on the Future
Consultation Meeting of Work in the
Philippines)
< 82 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

PIDS TITLE AND ORGANIZER DATE NATURE OF

OFFICIAL/FELLOW PARTICIPATION
New York University – Abu Dhabi Graduate
January 13, 2020 Lecturer
Students Lecture on the Philippine Economy
2nd De La Salle-Araneta University (DLSAU)
International Multidisciplinary Research
January 25, 2020 Keynote speaker
Conference: Impact of IR4 on Education,
Aniceto Orbeta Jr.
Labour, and Society, organized by DLSAU
Forum on Technical Vocational Education
and Training in the Age of Fourth Industrial Session chair and
January 28, 2020
Revolution: Future of Skills Development in the discussant
Philippines, organized by ADB
Virtual Workshop on Impact of ASEAN
Co-author of the
Economic Integration, organized by Institute
Francis Mark Quimba October 20, 2020 IDE discussion
of Developing Economies, Japan External
paper presented
Trade Organization
Roundtable on Localizing Sustainable
Development Goals, jointly organized
by Development Partners Network on
Decentralization and Local Governance, April 19–22, 2020 Panelist
Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development, and the United Nations
Development Programme
Co-organizer
Virtual Conference on Making Digital Platforms and speaker
Work for Asia, jointly organized by ADB and June 25–26, 2020 (introductory
ADB Institute remarks), and
moderator
Social Protection in the Time of COVID-19: An
East Asia Pacific Chief Economist Practitioners’ July 15, 2020 Participant
Panel, organized by World Bank
Webinar on Cost-Benefit Analysis of
COVID-19 Control Policies for the Philippines
Celia Reyes July 21, 2020 Participant
Using an Age-Structured Epidemiological
Model, organized by ADB
Webinar on Development Cooperation in
North-East Asia in Addressing COVID-19
Pandemic, organized by ESCAP East and
North-East Asia Office, China International
July 30, 2020 Discussant
Development Research Network,
and College of International Development
and Global Agriculture, China
Agricultural University
AEIR 2021 Theme Chapter International Speaker
Workshop on Making Digital Platform Work August 24, 2020 (introductory
for Asia and the Pacific, organized by ADB remarks)
Asian Impact Webinar on Distinguished Speaker
Program – Michael Kremer (Delivering a safe,
October 1, 2020 Participant
effective vaccine will be a turning point in the
fight against COVID-19), organized by ADB
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 83 >

PIDS TITLE AND ORGANIZER DATE NATURE OF

OFFICIAL/FELLOW PARTICIPATION
Future of the New Southern Policy in the
Post-COVID-19 Era, organized by Korea October 13, 2020 Resource speaker
Institute for International Economic Policy
2020 Virtual UN World Data Forum:
Generating Local Level Statistics for More Organizer and
October 20, 2020
Informed Policymaking Using the moderator
Community-Based Monitoring System
Re-Inventing ASEAN Working and Learning
Celia Reyes Paradigms in the New Normal (First live chat
October 29, 2020 Keynote speaker
(continued) with ASEAN chief information officers [CIOs]),
organized by ASEAN CIO Association
Centre for Development Economics and
Sustainability (CDES) Monash Webinar Series:
November 19, 2020 Resource speaker
COVID-19 and Beyond, organized by CDES,
Monash University, Australia
e-Conomy Southeast Asia 2020 Regional
Cooperation and Integration Policy Open November 27, 2020 Discussant
Dialogue, organized by ADB
Women, Work, and the Gig Economy (2nd
webinar), organized by JustJobs Network
April 23, 2020 Participant
and the International Development Research
Centre Research Consortium
Virtual Expert Discussion on Strengthening
AEC Blueprint 2025, organized by Economic June 19, 2020 Discussant
Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia
Virtual Conference on Making Digital Platforms
Presenter and
Ramonette Serafica Work for Asia, jointly organized by ADB and June 25–26, 2020
participant
ADB Institute
Global Trade and Innovation Policy Alliance
October 29, 2020 Participant
Virtual Summit, organized by ITIF
Managing COVID-19 Pandemic- Experiences
and Best Practices of China, Japan, and the
Republic of Korea, jointly organized by ESCAP July 2, 2020 Attendee
East and North-East Asia Office and Trilateral
Cooperation Secretariat
4th Andalas Economic Series Seminar,
organized by Philippine COVID-19 Response,
October 2, 2020 Presenter
Economics Faculty, Universitas Andalas,
Padang, Indonesia
Charlotte Justine Sicat The Demarcation of Land and the Role of
Coordinating Property Institutions by Gary D.
Libecap and Dean Lueck (published in Journal December 1, 2020 Attendee
of Political Economy, June 2011), organized by
Ronald Coase Institute
< 84 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

B. PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS

NETWORK/ACTIVITIES DATE PIDS NATURE OF
OFFICIAL/FELLOW PARTICIPATION
APEC Study Centers Consortium
• Annual Conference of the APEC Study
Centers Consortium September 23, 2020 Francis Mark Quimba Participant
(e-ASCC Conference 2020)
Data Privacy Advisory Group, UN Global Pulse
• Quarterly online meetings and email
April 15, 2020 Jose Ramon Albert Member
discussions
Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk
Michael Ralph Abrigo Collaborator
Factors Study Collaborator Network
Global Trade and Policy Alliance (GTIPA)
Contributed a short
monograph on “The
Mark Francis Quimba Philippines’ three
• GTIPA multicountry report September 25, 2020
Ramonette Serafica most significant
trade priorities for
the year ahead”
Francis Mark Quimba
• GTIPA Annual Summit October 29, 2020 Participants
Ramonette Serafica
International Statistical Institute
• Online conferences and webinars January 29, 2020 Jose Ramon Albert Elected member
National Transfer Accounts Project Michael Ralph Abrigo Member
Network of ASEAN-China Think-tanks (NACT)
• NACT Working Group Meeting October 12, 2020 Francis Mark Quimba Presenter
(provided policy
recommendations
for addressing digital
divide)
Network of East Asian Think-tanks (NEAT)
• PIDS as secretariat and the president as
regional coordinator since 2010 (Dr. Celia
Reyes took over the regional coordinator
position from Dr. Gilbert Llanto in 2017
when she became PIDS president. Prior
to Dr. Llanto, Dr. Josef Yap served as the
regional coordinator of EADN.)
• NEAT Working Group on East Asian
Cooperation on Enhancing Inclusive,
November 5, 2020 Kris Francisco Participant
Resilient and Sustainable Connectivity
beyond COVID-19
• 32nd NEAT Country Coordinator Celia Reyes
November 18, 2020 Participants
Annual Meeting Kris Francisco
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 85 >

NETWORK/ACTIVITIES DATE PIDS NATURE OF

OFFICIAL/FELLOW PARTICIPATION
Research Institutes Network
• RIN 2020 Research Workshop on
COVID-19 (Title of Presentation:
The Impacts of COVID-19 and October 12, 2020 Adoracion Navarro Resource speaker
Implications for Sustainable
Development in the Philippines)
• Annual Meeting in FY 2020 October 27, 2020 Celia Reyes Resource speaker
Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program,
University of Pennsylvania
Participant
• Planning Committee for 2020 (PIDS is a member
Asia Think Tank Summit scheduled August 30, 2020 Celia Reyes of the 2020 Asia
on October 13, 2020 Think Tank Planning
Committee)
• 2020 Virtual Asia and the Pacific Think
Tank Summit - A Virtual Gathering of Asia October 13, 2020 Celia Reyes Panelist
and the Pacific Leading Think Tanks
< 86 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

ANNEX I
ENGAGEMENTS OF PIDS FELLOWS IN CONGRESSIONAL MEETINGS/
HEARINGS/TECHNICAL COMMITTEES/WORKING GROUPS IN 2020

INSTITUTION/
RESEARCH FELLOW ASSISTANCE RENDERED
ORGANIZATION
Briefed Senator Angara and his staff on the Product space and the PH
Senate of the Philippines Connie Dacuycuy
industrialization (February 3, 2020)

Served as a resource person during the knowledge-sharing forum on the

Evaluation of the K-12 Program (February 06, 2020)

Served as a resource person during the public hearing on the results of

the Program for International Student Assessment (February 13, 2020)
Served as a resource person on the inquiry, in aid of legislation on
the Strengthening the Complementary Roles of Public and Private
Institutions in the Philippine Educational System and Formulating a
Framework to Operationalize the Principle of Complementarity to
Achieve Our National Objectives and Sustainable Development Goals in
Senate of the Philippines Aniceto Orbeta Jr. Education (March 5, 2020)
Served as a resource person on the Senate hearing on Senate Resolution
391, titled “Basic Education System (COVID-19)”, and Senate Resolution
392, titled “Free Internet Access in Public Places Act” (June 11, 2020)
Participated in the public hearing on Senate Bill 522 on the
Implementation of RA 4670 (Magna Carta for Public School Teachers)
and Senate Resolution 526 on the Quality of Teacher Education and
Training and Teacher Education Institutions ( October 12 and 22, 2020)
Participated in the Congressional Commission on Education consultation
meeting (November 4, 2020)

Participated in the Senate Public Hearing on the proposed NEDA bill,

Senate of the Philippines Celia Reyes
held on February 4, 2020

Participated in the Senate meeting to discuss the study on Philippines’

Potential Export Portfolio through Product Space (February 3, 2020)
Participated in the Second Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting and
Senate of the Philippines Ramonette Serafica submitted comments on Senate Bills 14, 921, and 1113, amending the
Retail Trade Liberalization Act; comparative analysis of the Philippines
with countries that have a more liberal retail trade industry
(February 19, 2020)
Provided a proposal for the TWG work on the Bamboo Industry
Senate of the Philippines Roehlano Briones
Development Senate Bill (January 29, 2020)
Served as a resource person to the public hearing of the Senate
Committee on Basic Education (July 2, 2020)
Senate of the Philippines Aubrey Tabuga Participated in the TWG meetings of the Senate Committee on Basic
Education to discuss the joint bills on inclusive education on learners
with disability (July 9, 16, 23, 30, and August 16 and 13, 2020)
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 87 >

INSTITUTION/
RESEARCH FELLOW ASSISTANCE RENDERED
ORGANIZATION
Participated in the congressional hearing on the proposed Internet
Transactions Act under House Bill 6122 (February 26, 2020)
House of Representatives Ramonette Serafica
Served as a resource person and presenter during the virtual hearing on
House Bill 6122 (June 3, 2020)
Participated as PIDS representative to the House Committee hearing on
constitutional amendments (February 12, 2020)
House of Representatives Charlotte Justine Sicat
Participated in the webinar on Legislative Measures on Economic Relief
and Recovery for COVID-19 (May 4, 2020)

Participated in a TWG meeting of the House Committee on Basic

House of Representatives Jose Ramon Albert
Education and Culture (August 4 and 13, 2020)
Congressional Policy and
Provided insights and briefing on disaster and rehabilitation to CPBRD
Budget Research Sonny Domingo
(February 12, 2020)
Department (CPBRD)
< 88 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

ANNEX J
AUDIT CERTIFICATE

Republic of the Philippines

COMMISSION ON AUDIT
Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Philippine Institute for Development Studies
18F Three Cyberpod Centris–North Tower
EDSA corner Quezon Avenue, Quezon City

Report on the Audit of the Financial Statements

Opinion

We have audited the accompanying financial statements of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS),
which comprise the statements of financial position as at December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the statements of financial
performance, statements of changes in net assets/equity, and statements of cash flows for the years then ended, statement
of comparison of budget and actual amounts for the year ended December 31, 2020, and notes to the financial statements,
including a summary of significant accounting policies.

In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of PIDS as at December
31, 20120 and 2019, and of its financial performance and its cash flows for the years then ended in accordance with
International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs).

Basis for Opinion

We conducted our audits in accordance with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAIs). Our
responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial
Statements section of our report. We are independent of the PIDS in accordance with the ethical requirements that are
relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the Philippines, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in
accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to
provide a basis for our opinion.

Responsibilities of Management and Those Charged with Governance for the Financial Statements

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these financial statements in accordance with
PPSASs, and for such internal control as management determines it is necessary to enable the preparation of financial
statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Corporation’s ability to continue as a
going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting,
unless management either intends to liquidate PIDS or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.

Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the PIDS’ financial reporting process.
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 89 >

Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from
material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable
assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISSAIs will always
detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if,
individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on
the basis of these financial statements.

As part of an audit in accordance with ISSAIs, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism
throughout the audit. We also:

• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design
and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate
to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than
for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the
override of internal control.

• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are
appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the PIDS’
internal control.

• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related
disclosures made by management.

• Conclude on the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the
audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant
doubt on the PIDS’ ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are
required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such
disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the
date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the PIDS to cease to continue as a
going concern.

• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure, and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and
whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves
fair presentation.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of
the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during
our audit.

Report on Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements

Our audits were conducted for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic financial statements taken as a whole.
The supplementary information for the year ended December 31, 2020, required by the Bureau of Internal Revenue as
disclosed in Note 27 to the financial statements is presented for purposes of additional analysis and is not a required part
of the basic financial statements prepared in accordance with IPSASs. Such supplementary information is the responsibility
of management.

COMMISSION ON AUDIT

(Sgd) SUZETTE G. PORNALES

OIC–Supervising Auditor
Audit Group G–Development, Media and Other Agencies
Cluster 6–Social, Cultural, Trading, Promotional, and Other Services
Corporate Government Sector

March 1, 2021
< 90 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

ANNEX K
STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION

PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION
(As at December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019; in Philippine peso)

NOTES* 2020 2019 (As restated)

ASSETS
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents 5 249,680,780 83,395,199
Financial assets 6 349,946,768 256,986,594
Receivables 7 11,612,471 15,862,328
Inventories 8 75,329 81,427
Other current assets 10 9,234,356 8,397,403
620,549,704 364,722,951
Noncurrent Assets
Financial assets 6 312,962,924 392,731,258
Receivables 7 3,066,001 3,066,001
Property, plant, and equipment–net 9 21,130,174 20,384,178
Other noncurrent assets 10 12,900,312 12,888,825
350,059,411 429,070,262
TOTAL ASSETS 970,609,115 793,793,213

LIABILITIES
Current Liabilities
Financial liabilities 11 4,346,206 8,834,030
Interagency payables 12 8,285,699 10,518,476
Trust liabilities 13 6,572,644 780,904
Deferred credits 14 2,942,167 1,568,182
Other payables 15 15,916 284,155
22,162,632 21,985,747
Noncurrent Liabilities
Interagency payables 12 3,066,001 3,066,001
Trust liabilities 13 2,819,498 3,987,756
Other payables 15 205,810 1,586,612
Provisions 16 30,206,309 27,131,993
36,297,618 35,772,362
TOTAL LIABILITIES 58,460,250 57,758,109

NET ASSETS (TOTAL ASSETS LESS TOTAL 912,148,865 736,035,104

LIABILITIES)

NET ASSETS/EQUITY 17
Accumulated surplus/(deficit) 600,339,640 424,225,879
Government equity 311,809,225 311,809,225
TOTAL NET ASSETS/EQUITY 912,148,865 736,035,104
*The notes on pages 95–116 form part of these financial statements.
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 91 >

ANNEX L
STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
(For years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019; in Philippine peso)

2019
NOTES* 2020 (As restated)
REVENUE
Service and business income 19 52,142,197 55,957,268
52,142,197 55,957,268

LESS: CURRENT OPERATING EXPENSES

Personal services 20 103,096,296 93,477,299
Maintenance and other operating expenses 21 58,073,226 78,654,687
Financial expenses 22 321,024 417,180
Noncash expenses 23 5,673,236 5,313,209
167,163,782 177,862,375

Deficit from Current Operations (115,021,585) (121,905,107)

Gains 24.1 234,782 154,156

Losses 24.2 (1,675,704) (1,012,755)
Miscellaneous income 25 374,521 115,528

Deficit before Tax (116,087,986) (122,648,178)

Income tax expense 0 0
Deficit after Tax (116,087,986) (122,648,178)
Subsidy from the national government 26 290,864,000 165,694,000
Net Surplus for the Period 174,776,014 43,045,822
*The notes on pages 95–116 form part of these financial statements.
< 92 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

ANNEX M
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS/EQUITY

PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS/EQUITY
(For years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019; in Philippine peso)

Accumulated Government
NOTES* Total
Surplus (Deficit) Equity

BALANCE AT JANUARY 1, 2019 402,467,088 311,809,225 714,276,313

Changes in net assets/equity for CY 2019
Add/(deduct):
Prior period errors (21,363,156) - (21,363,156)
RESTATED BALANCE AT JANUARY 1, 2019 381,103,932 311,809,225 692,913,157
Changes in net assets/equity for CY 2019
Add/(deduct):
Surplus/(Deficit) for the period 43,045,822 0 43,045,822
Other adjustments 76,125 0 76,125
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2019 424,225,879 311,809,225 736,035,104
Adjustments
Add/(deduct):
Prior period errors 0 0 0
RESTATED BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2019 424,225,879 311,809,225 736,035,104
Changes in net assets/equity for CY 2019
Add/(deduct):
Surplus/(Deficit) for the period 174,776,014 0 174,776,014
Other adjustments 17 1,337,747 0 1,337,747
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2020 600,339,640 311,809,225 912,148,865
*The notes on pages 95–116 form part of these financial statements.
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 93 >

ANNEX N
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(For years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019; in Philippine peso)

NOTES* 2020 2019 (As restated)

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Cash Inflows
Collection of revenues 8,640 1,005,380
Receipt of assistance/subsidy 290,864,000 165,694,000
Collection of receivables 4,711,981 8,467,475
Receipt of interagency fund transfers 30,366,051 8,698,692
Trust receipts 30,484,712 16,011,229
Other receipts 19,969,027 11,287,320
Total Cash Inflows 376,404,411 211,164,096

Cash Outflows
Payment of expenses 82,255,924 110,571,031
Purchase of inventories 215,538 1,016,802
Grant of cash advances 2,599,456 4,915,978
Prepayments 35,487 8,397,402
Refund of deposits 266,932 244,725
Remittance of personnel benefits, contributions, and mandatory
43,786,707 37,482,892
deductions
Release of interagency fund transfers 2,647,067 22,539,778
Total Cash Outflows 131,807,111 185,168,608
Net Cash Provided by/(Used in) Operating Activities 244,597,300 25,995,488

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES

Cash Inflows
Proceeds from matured investments/redemption of long term
100,330,740 205,461,481
investments
Total Cash Inflows 100,330,740 205,461,481
Cash Outflows
Purchase of property, plant, and equipment 6,419,233 8,569,328
Purchase of investments 170,782,304 209,982,348
Total Cash Outflows 177,201,537 218,551,676
Net Cash Provided by/(Used in) Investing Activities (76,870,797) (13,090,195)

Net Increase/(Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents 167,726,503 12,905,293

Loss on foreign exchange (1,440,922) (448,651)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, January 1 83,395,199 70,938,557
Cash and Cash Equivalents, December 31 5 249,680,780 83,395,199
*The notes on pages 95–116 form part of these financial statements.
< 94 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

ANNEX O
STATEMENT OF COMPARISON OF BUDGET AND ACTUAL AMOUNTS

PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

STATEMENT OF COMPARISON OF BUDGET AND ACTUAL AMOUNTS
(For the year ended December 31, 2020; in Philippine peso)

Budgeted Amount
Actual Amounts on Difference Final
Particulars Note*
Comparable Basis Budget and Actual
Original Final
RECEIPTS
Service and business income 19 14,079,377 14,079,377 52,142,197 (38,062,820)
Assistance and subsidy 26 290,864,400 290,864,000 290,864,000 0
Total Receipts 304,943,777 304,943,377 343,006,197 (38,062,820)

PAYMENTS
Personnel services 20 137,820,411 137,688,411 103,096,296 34,592,115
Maintenance and other operating
21 152,665,702 150,004,702 58,073,226 91,931,476
expenses
Capital outlay 18 89,998,000 89,998,000 6,419,232 83,578,768
Financial expenses 22 400,000 400,000 321,024 78,976
Total Payments 380,884,113 378,091,113 167,909,778 210,181,335

NET RECEIPTS/PAYMENTS (75,940,336) (73,147,736) 175,096,419 (248,244,155)

*The notes on pages 95–116 form part of these financial statements.
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 95 >

ANNEX P
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS*

1. GENERAL INFORMATION/ENTITY PROFILE

The financial statements of Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) were authorized for issue on March 1, 2021
as shown in the Statement of Management’s Responsibility for Financial Statements signed by Dr. Karl Kendrick T. Chua, the
Chairman of the Board.

The PIDS is a nonstock, nonprofit government research institution created by virtue of Presidential Decree 1201 in September
1977. The Institute’s nature of operation/principal program/activities include, among others, the following:

• Provide analyses of socioeconomic problems and issues to support the formulation of plans and policies for sustained social
and economic development of the Philippines

• Establish a continuing channel of communication between policymakers and planners, on the one hand, and researchers, on
the other

• Establish a repository for economic research information and other related activities

As of December 31, 2020, the institute has 94 manpower complement, consisting of 78 permanent, 3 coterminous, and
13 contractual employees. Its principal place of business is at 18th Floor, Three Cyberpod Centris-North Tower, EDSA corner
Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.

The PIDS was certified to have been operating a management system assessed as conforming to ISO 9001:2015 for the
provision of socioeconomic policy research services. This was issued by the Certification International Philippines (CIP) on April
25, 2019. The validity of PIDS’ ISO certification was reconfirmed in June 2020 based on the outcome of the first surveillance
audit of its Quality Management System (QMS) in March 2020.

The PIDS established its QMS in line with Executive Order 605, which directs all government offices to institutionalize their
structures, mechanisms, and standards to promote and enhance service delivery in public sector.

It is also a requirement of the Interagency Task Force on the Harmonization of National Government Performance Monitoring
Information and Reporting Systems for the grant of Performance-Based Bonus to government agencies and government-owned
and controlled corporations like the PIDS.

2. BASIS OF PREPARATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The financial statements were prepared in compliance with the Philippine Public Sector Accounting Standards (PPSASs)
prescribed for adoption by the Commission on Audit (COA) through COA Resolution 2014-003 dated January 24, 2014. PPSASs
were renamed to IPSASs per COA Resolution No. 2020-01 dated January 9, 2020. The accounting policies were consistently
applied throughout the year presented.

The financial statements were prepared on the basis of historical cost, unless stated otherwise. The Statement of Cash Flows
was prepared using the direct method.

The financial statements are presented in Philippine peso (PHP), which is also the country’s functional currency.

The preparation of financial statements in compliance with the adopted IPSASs requires the use of certain accounting
estimates. It also requires the entity to exercise judgment in applying the entity’s accounting policies.

*All amounts are in Philippine peso unless otherwise stated.

< 96 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

3.1 Basis of Accounting

The financial statements were prepared on an accrual basis in accordance with the IPSASs.

3.2 Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and cash in bank, deposits on call, and highly liquid investments with an
original maturity of three months or less, which are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and are subject to insignificant
risk of changes in value. For the purpose of the statement of cash flows, cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and
short-term deposits as defined above.

3.3 Financial Instruments

Financial Assets

• Initial recognition and measurement

Financial assets within the scope of IPSAS 29-Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement are classified as financial
assets at fair value through surplus or deficit, held-to-maturity investments, loans and receivables or available-for-sale
financial assets, as appropriate. The PIDS determines the classifications of its financial assets at initial recognition.

Purchases or sales of financial assets that require delivery of assets within a time frame established by regulation or
convention in the marketplace (regular way trades) are recognized on the trade date, i.e., the date that the PIDS commits to
purchase or sell the asset.

• Held-to-maturity

Nonderivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments and fixed maturities are classified as held-to-maturity
when the PIDS has the positive intention and ability to hold these to maturity.

Financial Liabilities

• Initial recognition and measurement

Financial liabilities within the scope of IPSAS 29 are classified as financial liabilities at fair value through surplus or deficit, or
loans and borrowings, as appropriate. The entity determines the classification of its financial liabilities at initial recognition.

All financial liabilities are recognized initially at fair market value.

3.4 Inventories

Inventory is measured at cost upon initial recognition. To the extent that inventory is received through nonexchange
transactions (for no cost or for a nominal cost), the cost of the inventory is its fair value at the date of acquisition.

Costs incurred in bringing each product to its present location and condition are accounted for purchase cost using the
weighted average cost method.

Inventories are recognized as an expense when deployed for utilization or consumption in the ordinary course of operations
of the PIDS.

3.5 Property, Plant, and Equipment

Recognition

An item is recognized as property, plant, and equipment (PPE) if it meets the characteristics and recognition criteria as a PPE.
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 97 >

The characteristics of PPE are as follows:

• tangible items
• held for use for administrative purposes
• expected to be used for more than one reporting period

An item of PPE is recognized as an asset if:
• it is probable that future economic benefits or service potential associated with the item will flow to the entity;
• the cost of fair values of the item can be measured reliably; and
• the cost is at least PHP 15,000.00.

Measurement at Recognition

An item recognized as PPE is measured at cost.

A PPE acquired through nonexchange transaction is measured at its fair value as the date of acquisition.

The cost of the PPE is the cash price equivalent or, for PPE acquired through nonexchange transactions, its fair value as at
recognition date.

Cost includes:
• its purchase price, including import duties and nonrefundable purchase taxes, after deducting trade discounts and rebates;
• expenditure that is directly attributable to the acquisition of the items; and
• initial estimate of the costs of dismantling and removing the item and restoring the site on which it is located, the obligation
for which an entity incurs either when the item is acquired or as a consequence of having used the item during a particular
period for purposes other than to produce inventories during that period.

Measurement after Recognition

After recognition, all PPE are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses.

When significant parts of PPE are required to be replaced at intervals, the PIDS recognizes such parts as individual assets with
specific useful lives and depreciates them accordingly. Likewise, when a major repair/replacement is done, its cost is recognized
in the carrying amount of the PPE as a replacement if the recognition criteria are satisfied.

All other repair and maintenance costs are recognized as expense in surplus or deficit as incurred.

Depreciation

Each part of an item of PPE with a cost that is significant in relation to the total cost of the item is depreciated separately.

The depreciation charge for each period is recognized as an expense unless it is included in the cost of another asset.

• Initial Recognition of Depreciation

Depreciation of an asset begins when it is available for use, such as when it is in the location and condition necessary for it
to be capable of operating in the manner intended by the management.

For simplicity and to avoid proportionate computation, the depreciation is for one month if the PPE is available for use on
or before the 15th of the month. However, if the PPE is available for use after the 15th of the month, depreciation is for the
succeeding month.

• Depreciation Method

The straight-line method of depreciation is adopted.

• Estimated Useful Life

The PIDS uses the schedule on the estimated useful life of PPE by classification prepared by the COA in determining the
specific estimated useful life for each asset based on its experience.
< 98 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

• Residual Value

The PIDS uses a residual value equivalent to at least 5 percent of the cost of the PPE.

• Impairment

An asset’s carrying amount is written down to its recoverable amount, or recoverable service amount, if the asset’s carrying
amount is greater than its estimated recoverable amount or recoverable service amount.

• Derecognition

The PIDS derecognizes an item of PPE and/or any significant part of an asset upon disposal or when no future economic
benefits or service potential is expected from its continuing use. Any gain or loss arising from the derecognition of the asset
(calculated as the difference between the net disposal proceeds and the carrying amount of the asset) is included in the
surplus or deficit when the asset is derecognized.

3.6 Leases

PIDS as a Lessee

Operating Lease

Operating leases are leases that do not transfer substantially all the risks and rewards incidental to ownership of the leased item
to the PIDS. Operating lease payments are recognized as an operating expense in surplus or deficit on a straight-line basis over
the lease term.

3.7 Changes in Accounting Policies and Estimates

The PIDS recognizes the effects of changes in accounting policy retrospectively. The effects of changes in accounting policy are
applied prospectively if retrospective application is impractical.

The PIDS recognizes the effects of changes in accounting estimates prospectively through surplus or deficit.

The PIDS corrects material prior period errors retrospectively in the first set of financial statements authorized for issue after
their discovery by:

• restating the comparative amounts for prior period(s) presented in which the error occurred or
• if the error occurred before the earliest prior period presented, restating the opening balances of assets, liabilities, and
net assets/equity for the earliest prior period presented.

3.8 Foreign Currency Transactions

Transactions in foreign currencies are initially recognized by applying the spot exchange rate between the functional currency
and the foreign currency at the transaction date.

At each reporting date:

• foreign currency monetary items are translated using the closing rate;
• nonmonetary items that are measured in terms of historical cost in a foreign currency are translated using the
exchange rate at the date of the transaction; and
• nonmonetary items that are measured at fair value in a foreign currency are translated using the exchange rates at the
date when the fair value is determined.

Exchange differences arising (a) on the settlement of monetary items or (b) on translating monetary items at rates different
from those at which they were translated on initial recognition during the period or in previous financial statements, are
recognized in surplus or deficit in the period in which they arise, except as those arising on a monetary item that forms part of
a reporting entity’s net investments in a foreign operation.
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 99 >

3.9 Revenue from Exchange Transactions

Measurement of Revenue

Revenue is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable.

Rendering of Services

The PIDS recognizes revenue from rendering of services by reference to the stage of completion when the outcome of the
transaction can be estimated reliably. The stage of completion is measured by reference to labor hours incurred to date as a
percentage of total estimated labor hours.

Where the contract outcome cannot be measured reliably, revenue is recognized only to the extent that the expenses incurred
were recoverable.

Sale of Goods

Revenue from the sale of goods is recognized when the significant risks and rewards of ownership have been transferred to the
buyer, usually on delivery of the goods and when the amount of revenue can be measured reliably, and it is probable that the
economic benefits or service potential associated with the transaction will flow to the PIDS.

Interest Income

Interest income is accrued using the effective yield method. The effective yield discounts estimated future cash receipts
through the expected life of the financial asset to that asset’s net carrying amount. The method applies this yield to the principal
outstanding to determine interest income each period.

3.10 Budget Information

The annual budget is prepared on a cash basis and is published on the government website.

A separate Statement of Comparison of Budget and Actual Amounts (SCBAA) is prepared since the budget and the financial
statements are not prepared on comparable basis. The SCBAA is presented showing the original and final budget and the
actual amounts on comparable basis to the budget. Explanatory comments are provided in the notes to the annual financial
statements.

3.11 Employee Benefits

The employees of the PIDS are members of the Government Service Insurance System, which provides life and retirement
insurance coverage.

The PIDS recognizes the undiscounted amount of short-term employee benefits, like salaries, wages, bonuses, allowance, etc.,
as expense unless capitalized, and as a liability after deducting the amount paid.

The PIDS recognizes expenses for accumulating compensated absences when these were paid (commuted or paid as terminal
benefits). Unused entitlements that have accumulated at the reporting date were not recognized as expense. Nonaccumulating
absences, like special leave privileges, were not recognized.

4. RISK MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES

The PIDS is exposed to the following risks from its use of financial instruments:
• Liquidity risk
• Interest/Market risks
• Operational risk
This note presents information about the PIDS’ exposure to each of the above risks, objectives, policies, and processes for
measuring and managing risk and management of capital.
< 100 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

4.1 Risk Management Framework

Generally, the maximum risk exposure of financial assets and financial liabilities is the carrying amount of the financial assets
and financial liabilities as shown in the statements of financial position and as summarized below.

Note 2020 2019 (As restated)

Financial Assets
Cash and cash equivalents 5 249,680,780 83,395,199
Financial assets 6 662,909,692 649,717,852
Receivables 7 14,678,472 18,928,329
927,268,944 752,041,380
Financial Liabilities
Financial liabilities 11 4,346,206 8,834,030
Interagency payables 12 11,351,700 13,584,477
Trust liabilities 13 9,392,142 4,768,660
25,090,048 27,187,167

4.2 Liquidity Risk

Liquidity risk is the risk that the PIDS might encounter difficulty in meeting obligations from its financial liabilities.

Management of Liquidity Risk

The PIDS approach to managing liquidity is to ensure, as far as possible, that it will always have sufficient liquidity to meet
its liabilities when due, under both normal and stressed conditions, without incurring unacceptable losses or risking damage
to its reputation.

The PIDS maintains a portfolio of short-term liquid assets, largely made up of short-term liquid investment securities, and
advances to PIDS and other facilities, to ensure that sufficient liquidity is maintained within the PIDS as a whole.

Exposure to Liquidity Risk

The liquidity risk is the adverse situation when the PIDS encounters difficulty meeting unconditionally the settlement of its
obligations at maturity. Prudent liquidity management requires that liquidity risks are identified, measured, monitored, and
controlled in a comprehensive and timely manner. Liquidity management is a major component of the corporate-wide risk
management system. Liquidity planning takes into consideration various possible changes in economic, market, political,
regulatory, and other external factors that may affect the liquidity position of PIDS.

4.3 Market Risks

Market risk is the risk that changes in the market prices, such as interest rate, equity prices, foreign exchange rates, and
credit spreads (not relating to changes in the obligor’s/issuer’s credit standing) will affect the PIDS income or the value of its
holdings of financial instruments. The objective of market risk management is to manage and control market risk exposures
within acceptable parameters while optimizing the return on risk.

Management of Market Risk

The management of interest rate risk against interest gap limits is supplemented by monitoring the sensitivity of the PIDS
financial assets and liabilities to various standard and nonstandard interest rate scenarios.

4.4 Operational Risks

Operational risk is the risk of direct or indirect loss arising from a wide variety of causes associated with the PIDS processes,
personnel, technology, and infrastructure, and from external factors other than credit, market, and liquidity risks, such as
those arising from legal and regulatory requirements and generally accepted standards of corporate behavior. Operational
risks arise from all of the PIDS operations and are faced by all business entities.
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 101 >

The PIDS objective is to manage operational risk to balance the avoidance of financial losses and damage to the PIDS
reputation with overall cost-effectiveness and to avoid control procedures that restrict initiative and creativity.

The primary responsibility for the development and implementation of control to address operational risk is assigned to
senior management within each department. This responsibility is supported by the development of overall standards for
the management of operational risk in the following areas:
• Requirement for appropriate segregation of duties, including the independent authorization of transactions
• Requirement for the reconciliation and monitoring of transactions
• Compliance with regulatory and other legal requirements
• Documentation of controls and procedures
• Requirements for the periodic assessment of operational risk faced, and the adequacy of
control and procedures to address the risk identified
• Requirements for the reporting of operational losses and proposed remedial action
• Development of contingency plans
• Training and professional development
• Ethical and business standards
• Risk mitigation, including insurance where this is effective

5. CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

This account consists of the following:

2020 2019 (As restated)

Cash in bank–local currency 211,559,989 41,666,793
Cash in bank–foreign currency 19,864,370 11,020,183
Foreign currency–time deposit 18,256,421 19,140,223
Treasury bills 0 11,568,000
249,680,780 83,395,199

5.1 Cash in Bank–Local Currency

Account No. 2020 2019

LBP/PIDS proper (Pasong Tamo Branch) 1782-1011-50 155,466,634 104,212
LBP/PIDS proper (NIA Branch) 1872-1037-39 37,654,294 26,695,855
DBP/PIDS proper 0405-026125-530 5,190,670 3,498,252
LBP/PIDS UNICEF project 1872-1040-18 4,313,774 650,083
LBP/PIDS DOH project 1872-1040-85 3,550,960 0
LBP/PIDS IDRC project 1872-1040-93 2,447,107 0
LBP/PIDS DAR project 1872-1040-42 1,230,098 986,768
LBP/PIDS DILG project 1872-1039-84 1,108,305 7,504,577
LBP/PIDS Proper (Buendia Branch) 0052-1149-34 515,422 2,018,007
LBP/PIDS ACIAR project 1872-1037-71 68,373 80,658
LBP/PIDS Head office 3401-07-0973 14,352 10,263
LBP/PIDS 3iE DSWD project 1872-1037-63 0 118,118
211,559,989 41,666,793

The PIDS total cash in bank–local currency amounted to PHP 198.841 million, while the externally funded project funds
amounted to PHP 12.719 million. This was used to pay various project expenses incurred for the specific project in peso.
< 102 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

5.2 Cash in Bank–Foreign Currency

Particulars Account No. 2020 2019

LBP/PIDS Proper (Pasong Tamo Branch) 1784-0093-66 16,641,674 3,723,874
LBP/PIDS ACIAR project 1874-0029-13 3,222,696 2,807,852
LBP/PIDS 3iE DSWD project 8874-0028-91 0 4,488,457
19,864,370 11,020,183

The PIDS total cash in bank–foreign currency amounted to PHP 16.642 million, while the externally funded project funds
amounted to PHP 3.223 million, which was used to pay various project expenses incurred for the specific project in dollars.

5.3 Time Deposit–Foreign Currency

This account represents placement of USD 380,057.06 at Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP)-Pasong Tamo branch for a period
of 90 days at a rate of 0.50 percent per annum to mature on March 17, 2021. Conversion rate is at PHP 48.036 =USD 1.

6. FINANCIAL ASSETS

2020 2019
Total current financial assets 349,946,768 256,986,594
Total noncurrent financial assets 312,962,924 392,731,258
662,909,692 649,717,852

6.1 Current financial assets

As at December 31, 2020

Value Date Maturity Date Terms Issuer Rate (%) Cost of Investment
07/23/20 01/20/21 181 days DBP Treasury 1.61500 1,132,654
07/23/20 01/20/21 181 days DBP Treasury 1.61500 4,997,589
08/20/20 02/10/21 174 days DBP Treasury 1.38000 8,763,301
08/24/20 02/10/21 170 days DBP Treasury 1.38000 10,186,961
09/16/20 02/03/21 140 days LBP Treasury 1.40000 11,739,922
09/16/20 02/03/21 140 days LBP Treasury 1.40000 22,244,210
09/16/20 02/03/21 140 days LBP Treasury 1.40000 2,773,931
09/30/20 03/17/21 168 days LBP Treasury 1.60000 52,108,204
09/30/20 01/06/21 98 days LBP Treasury 1.12500 24,698,526
09/30/20 03/17/21 168 days LBP Treasury 1.60000 28,589,480
10/07/20 04/14/21 189 days LBP Trust 1.60000 1,102,603
10/21/20 03/24/21 154 days LBP Treasury 1.55000 21,381,732
11/04/20 03/10/21 126 days LBP Treasury 1.15000 1,431,395
11/04/20 05/05/21 182 days LBP Treasury 1.52500 3,997,383
11/04/20 03/10/21 126 days LBP Treasury 1.15000 29,779,188
11/04/20 03/10/21 182 days LBP Treasury 1.52500 99,947,495
11/18/20 05/05/21 168 days DBP Treasury 1.43750 4,754,413
12/10/20 06/09/21 181 days DBP Treasury 1.39000 18,118,841
12/22/20 04/28/21 127 days DBP Treasury 1.30000 2,198,940
Total 349,946,768
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 103 >

Total current financial assets account consists of investment in treasury bills–investible funds of which tenor is 98 to 189 days
from the LBP and DBP.

6.2 Noncurrent financial assets

As at December 31, 2020

Maturity Terms Coupon Unamortized Carrying
Value Date Issue Date Issuer Face Amount
Date (years) Rate (%) Premium Discount Amount
01/07/13 01/19/06 01/19/26 20 DBP 10.250 6,597,000 1,238,865 0 7,835,865
01/12/16 08/20/14 08/20/24 10 DBP 4.125 6,343,157 4,011 0 6,347,168
01/31/18 09/09/15 09/09/25 10 LBP 3.625 41,979,000 0 (1,937,375) 40,041,625
02/01/18 01/25/18 01/25/21 3 DBP 4.250 2,144,000 149 0 2,144,149
03/03/11 03/03/11 03/03/21 10 BTr 7.375 4,000,000 0 0 4,000,000
05/14/15 08/20/14 08/20/24 10 DBP 4.125 9,629,000 117,181 0 9,746,181
05/24/18 01/25/18 01/25/21 3 DBP 4.250 30,889,834 0 (11,274) 30,878,560
06/06/11 04/28/11 04/28/21 10 BTr 6.500 4,900,000 1,515 0 4,901,515
06/25/12 02/02/12 02/02/32 20 BTr 5.875 4,800,000 8,361 0 4,808,361
06/25/12 10/20/11 10/20/21 10 DBP 5.750 2,897,522 7,193 0 2,904,715
06/28/12 02/02/12 02/02/32 20 BTr 5.875 3,000,000 5,571 0 3,005,571
07/06/17 09/09/15 09/09/25 10 LBP 3.625 18,490,000 0 (530,738) 17,959,262
07/10/13 09/06/07 09/06/27 20 DBP 8.625 3,920,000 621,542 0 4,541,542
07/10/13 02/02/12 02/02/32 20 DBP 5.875 4,850,000 218,153 0 5,068,153
08/15/13 08/15/13 08/15/23 10 DBP 3.250 13,000,000 0 0 13,000,000
08/24/17 01/26/17 01/26/22 5 DBP 4.000 6,837,000 823 0 6,837,823
09/24/14 03/20/14 03/20/21 7 DBP 3.500 35,355,000 0 (18,187) 35,336,813
09/27/16 08/15/13 08/15/23 10 DBP 3.250 10,465,197 0 (20,482) 10,444,715
10/24/12 10/24/12 10/24/37 25 DBP 6.125 10,000,000 0 0 10,000,000
10/13/13 05/29/03 05/29/23 20 DBP 11.875 16,593,000 2,636,469 0 19,229,469
11/02/17 01/26/17 01/26/22 5 LBP 4.000 10,150,000 0 (10,449) 10,139,551
11/22/19 03/12/19 03/12/24 5 DBP 6.250 60,626,000 3,165,886 0 63,791,886
Total 307,465,710 8,025,719 (2,528,505) 312,962,924

Total noncurrent financial assets are investments in bonds—investible funds comprising mainly of government treasury bonds
with coupon rates between 3.25 percent and 11.875 percent. These investments are scheduled to mature from calendar years
2021 to 2037.

7. RECEIVABLES

This account is broken down as follows:

2020 2019
Receivables 4,644,059 10,962,343
Interagency receivables 8,396,870 6,035,263
Other receivables 1,637,543 1,930,723
14,678,472 18,928,329
< 104 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

2020 2019
Current Noncurrent Total Current Noncurrent Total
Receivables 4,644,059 0 4,644,059 10,962,343 0 10,962,343
Interagency receivables 5,330,869 3,066,001 8,396,870 2,969,262 3,066,001 6,035,263
Other receivables 1,637,543 0 1,637,543 1,930,723 0 1,930,723
11,612,471 3,066,001 14,678,472 15,862,328 3,066,001 18,928,329

7.1 Receivables

Accounts 2020 2019

Interest receivables 4,644,059 10,962,343
4,644,059 10,962,343

This account refers to the interest income earned but not yet received for the year from various investment operations.

7.2 Aging/Analysis of Receivables

As at December 31, 2020

Past due
Accounts Total Not Past Due
< 30 days 30–60 days > 60 days
Interest receivables 4,644,059 4,644,059 0 0 0
4,644,059 4,644,059 0 0 0

7.3 Interagency Receivables

Accounts 2020 2019

Due from national government agencies (NGAs) 8,396,870 6,035,263
8,396,870 6,035,263

This account is broken down as follows:

Particulars 2020 2019

PIDS/Commission on Higher Education (CHED) project “Research Development and Extension” 3,066,001 3,066,001
PIDS/Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) project “Assessment of the Credit Demand of 2,035,011 508,753
Small Farmers and Fisherfolk”
PIDS/Department of Health project “The 2019 Advancing Health through Evidence-assisted 1,604,356 2,423,243
Decision with Health Policy and System Research Program”
PIDS/Department of Agrarian Reform project “ConVERGEnce on Value Chain Enhancement for 1,000,000 0
Rural Growth and Empowerment”
PIDS/TESDA project “Policy Research on Youth Not in Employment, Education and Training 521,000 0
(NEET) in the Philippines Today?”
PIDS/Department of Budget and Management (DBM) project “Procurement Services” 169,250 756
PIDS/DOST Project “The Future Science and Technology Human Resource Requirements in the 0 36,510
Philippines
8,396,870 6,035,263
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 105 >

The receivable from PIDS/CHED “Research Development and Extension Project” amounting to PHP 3.066 million was part
of the PHP 560-million Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) for the implementation of the Grants-in-Aid for Research
Development and Extension Project which was released by the DBM to PIDS. Of the PHP 560-million fund, PHP 504 million was
transferred/released to CHED on June 20, 2012. The remaining balance was already liquidated by the Benguet State University to
CHED, but CHED did not record the liquidation in its books of accounts due to the disallowance issued by the BSU auditor. The
case is on petition for review with the COA Commission Proper.

The receivables from PIDS/DOH project “The 2019 Advancing Health through Evidence-assisted Decision with Health Policy and
System Research Program”, PIDS/ACPC project “Assessment of the Credit Demand of Small Farmers and Fisherfolk”, PIDS/DAR
project “ConVERGEnce on Value Chain Enhancement for Rural Growth and Empowerment” and PIDS/TESDA project “Policy
Research on Youth Not in Employment, Education, and Training (NEET) in the Philippines Today” are the billings for the services
rendered not yet paid.

7.4 Other Receivables

2020 2019
Other receivables 1,634,043 1,874,730
Advances to officers and employees 3,500 53,765
Due from officers and employees 0 2,228
1,637,543 1,930,723

Other receivables account refers to the billed/recognized revenue from the projects that are not yet paid, which consists of
the following: PIDS/Philippines Business for Education (PBED) project “YouthWorks PH Policy Research Series on Youth NEET
and Training and Skilling Landscape in the Philippines” amounting to PHP 260,500; PIDS/Center for International Knowledge
Development project titled “Resilient Asia Network: the COVID-19 Context and Health System Resilience” amounting to PHP
423,183; and PIDS/United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific project titled “National Study and
National Action on Plan for Regional Integration of the Philippines” amounting to PHP 306,650; Advances to PIDS Provident
Fund, Inc. for various expenses amounting to PHP 22,518; and for capital outlay items/jobs received/done after December 31, 2020,
of which, PHP 621,192 was obligated.

Advances to Officers and Employees are cash advances for travel purposes of the employees which will be due for liquidation in
CY 2021.

8. INVENTORIES

2020 2019
Inventory held for distribution
Carrying amount, January 1 81,427 114,264
Additional/acquisitions during the year 97,190 184,140
Expensed during the year except write-down (103,288) (216,977)
75,329 81,427

Regular purchases of office supplies for stock are recorded under the inventory account and issuances thereof are recorded
based on the Report of Supplies Issuance.
< 106 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

9. PROPERTY, PLANT, AND EQUIPMENT

As at December 31, 2020

Furniture and Leased assets

Machinery and Transportation Other PPE
Particulars fixtures and improvements, Total
equipment equipment (Held in trust)
books buildings
Carrying amount, 14,808,741 3,651,881 478,937 1,276,119 168,500 20,384,178
January 1, 2020
Additions/acquisitions 6,385,367 0 33,865 0 0- 6,419,232
Total 21,194,108 3,651,881 512,802 1,276,119 168,500 26,803,410
Disposals 0 0 0 0 0 0
Depreciation (as per Statement of (4,639,258) (805,967) (88,546) (139,465) - (5,673,236)
Financial Performance)
Impairment–loss 0 0 0 0 0 0
Adjustment–accumulated 0 0 0 0 0 0
depreciation
Carrying amount, December 16,554,850 2,845,914 424,256 1,136,654 168,500 21,130,174
31, 2020 (as per Statement of
Financial Position)
Gross cost (asset account balance 43,603,896 8,787,178 1,004,352 21,105,753 168,500 74,669,679
per Statement of Financial Position)
Less: accumulated depreciation (27,048,546) (5,941,264) (580,096) (19,969,099) 0 (53,539,005)
allowance for impairment (500) 0 0 0 0 (500)
Carrying amount, December 16,554,850 2,845,914 424,256 1,136,654 168,500 21,130,174
31, 2020 (as per Statement of
Financial Position)

As at December 31, 2019

Furniture and Leased Assets

Machinery and Transportation Other PPE
Particulars Fixtures and Improvements, Total
Equipment Equipment (Held in Trust)
Books Buildings
Carrying amount, 12,710,447 2,384,808 457,727 1,415,585 168,500 17,137,067
January 1, 2019
Additions/acquisitions 6,494,893 1,965,000 109,435 0 0 8,569,328
Total 19,205,340 4,349,808 567,162 1,415,585 168,500 25,706,395
Disposals (65,664) 0 0 0 0 (65,664)
Depreciation (as per Statement of (4,387,591) (697,927) (88,225) (139,466) 0 (5,313,209)
Financial Performance)
Impairment–loss 0 0 0 0 0 0
Adjustment–accumulated 56,656 0 0 0 0 56,656
depreciation
Carrying amount, December 14,808,741 3,651,881 478,937 1,276,119 168,500 20,384,178
31, 2019 (as per Statement of
Financial Position)
Gross cost (asset account balance 37,218,527 8,787,178 970,487 21,105,753 168,500 68,250,445
per Statement of Financial
Position)
Less: accumulated depreciation (22,409,286) (5,135,297) (491,550) (19,829,634) 0 (47,865,767)
allowance for impairment (500) 0 0 0 0 (500)
Carrying amount, December 14,808,741 3,651,881 478,937 1,276,119 168,500 20,384,178
31, 2019 (as per Statement of
Financial Position)
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 107 >

For every acquisition of PPE items to be used in the implementation of externally funded projects, the PPE-Held in Trust
account is debited. Upon completion of the project, the PPE items held in trust are reclassified to the specific PPE items
account classifications.

10. OTHER CURRENT AND NONCURRENT OTHER ASSETS

2020 2019
Current Noncurrent Total Current Noncurrent Total
Prepayments 9,234,356 0 9,234,356 8,397,403 0 8,397,403
Deposits 0 12,900,312 12,900,312 0 12,888,825 12,888,825
9,234,356 12,900,312 22,134,668 8,397,403 12,888,825 21,286,228

10.1 Prepayments
2020 2019
Prepaid rent 6,063,477 5,763,419
Prepaid insurance 412,683 494,055
Other prepayments 2,758,196 2,139,929
9,234,356 8,397,403
10.1.1 Other Prepayments
2020 2019
Subscription prepayments 1,272,391 1,485,243
Aircon charges of Eton 654,686 654,686
Prepaid taxes for investments/others 831,119 0
2,758,196 2,139,929
Deposits account consists of the guaranty deposits representing the security deposit and advance rent for the lease of the PIDS
office space.

11. FINANCIAL LIABILITIES

Payables

2020 2019
Current Noncurrent Total Current Noncurrent Total
Accounts payable 4,316,817 0 4,316,817 8,646,950 0 8,646,950
Due to officers and employees 29,389 0 29,389 187,080 0 187,080
4,346,206 0 4,346,206 8,834,030 0 8,834,030

12. INTERAGENCY PAYABLES

2020 2019
Current Noncurrent Total Current Noncurrent Total
(As restated)
Due to NGAs 4,554,103 3,066,001 7,620,104 5,135,042 3,066,001 8,201,043
Due to BIR 3,731,596 - 3,731,596 4,751,227 - 4,751,227
Due to GSIS - - - 632,207 - 632,207
8,285,699 3,066,001 11,351,700 10,518,476 3,066,001 13,584,477
< 108 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

Due to NGAs

2020 2019
PIDS/CHED project “Research Development and Extension (RDE)” 3,066,001 3,066,001
PIDS/DOH “The 2019 Advancing Health through Evidence-Assisted Decision with 1,669,762 0
Health Policy and System Research Program”
PIDS/DICT “Expanded Data Analysis and Policy Research 1,274,231 0
PIDS/DAR project “ConVERGEnce on Value Chain Enhancement for Rural Growth 674,983 535,828
and Empowerment”
PIDS/DILG project “Assessment of the P/NCR LGU RMs in the Localization of the 875,608 0
PDP 2017-2022 SDGs”
PIDS/ACPC project “Assessment of the Credit Demand of Small Farmers and 44,500 0
Fisherfolk”
PIDS/DOST project “The Future Science and Technology Human Resource 15,019 0
Requirements in the Philippines”
PIDS/DILG project “Conduct of Baseline Study on Policy and Governance Gaps for 0 4,599,214 0
Local Government Support Fund Assistance to Municipalities (LGSF-AM)
7,620,104 8,201,043
The account Due to National Government Agency-PIDS/CHED “Research Development and Extension Project” pertains to
the DAP-RDE funds released to PIDS (see Note 7.3). This account was debited when PIDS recorded the audited liquidation
report of CHED and State Universities and Colleges as well as the receipt of refund of unutilized funds. This amount was
already liquidated but not yet booked in CHED books of accounts due to disallowance issued by the BSU COA auditors.

The account Due to Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) consists of the income tax on accrued interest income subject to final
tax and taxes withheld from employees’ compensation, contractors, and suppliers. The same are regularly remitted by the
Institute to the BIR on or before their due dates. The Due to GSIS account consists of employees’ premium payments and
other payables for remittance to GSIS on or before their due dates.

13. TRUST LIABILITIES

2020 2019
Particulars
Current Noncurrent Total Current Noncurrent Total
Trust liabilities 6,496,884 2,819,498 9,316,382 495,144 3,987,756 4,482,900
Guaranty/security deposits payable 75,760 0 75,760 285,760 0 285,760
6,572,644 2,819,498 9,392,142 780,904 3,987,756 4,768,660
13.1 Trust Liabilities

2020 2019
PIDS/UNICEF project “Addressing the Determinants of Stunting in the first 1000 3,041,106 0
Days of Life”
PIDS/International Development Research Centre “Driving Inclusion Through 2,683,697 0
Empowerment and Decent Work: The Case of Filipino Women in Online Work”
PIDS/Australian Center for International Agricultural Research project “Additional 1,358,912 489,530
Component (Social Network and Access to the Utilization of Weather Climate
Information”
PIDS/Australian Center for International Agricultural Research project “Action Ready 1,460,586 2,081,979
Climate Knowledge to Improve Disaster Risk Management for Small Holder
Farmers of the Philippines”
PIDS/Asian Development Bank “Knowledge Partnership for the Asian Economic 754,422 0
Integration Report (AEIR) 2020/2021 Theme Chapter on Digital Platforms:
Implications for Developing Asia”
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 109 >

PIDS/UNDP project “Updating of UN Common Country Assessment for the 90 0

Philippines”
PIDS/Philippine Business for Education project “YouthWorks PH Policy Research 2,808 0
Series on Youth NEET and Training and Skilling Landscape in the Philippines”
PIDS/Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation “Towards MSMEs Internationalization: 14,761 0
Study on the Final Review of the Boracay Action Agenda and Forum on Building
Global MSMEs”
PIDS/International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) project “Improving the 0 1,905,778
Chances of Success through Better Beneficiary Sorting and Employment
Facilitation in the Philippines”
PIDS/Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia project “Economic 0 4,540
Integration and Firm Competitiveness: FTA and Value Chain for Philippines”
PIDS/Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia project “Economic 0 1,073
Integration and Firm Competitiveness: FTA Tariff Utilization for Philippines”
9,316,382 4,482,900

Trust Liabilities account pertains to cash held in trust from the listed foreign-funded projects for specific purposes.

13.2 Guaranty/Security Deposits Payable

This account pertains to retention fees to guarantee performance by the contractor of the terms of the contract.

14. DEFERRED CREDITS

2020 2019 (as restated)

Current Noncurrent Total Current Noncurrent Total
Other deferred credits 2,942,167 0 2,942,167 1,568,182 0 1,568,182
2,942,167 0 2,942,167 1,568,182 0 1,568,182
This account represents revenue not yet earned.

15. OTHER PAYABLES

2019 2018
Current Noncurrent Total Current Noncurrent Total
HMO refund of retired/resigned 0 18,000 18,000 266,361 1,412,407 1,678,768
employees
Bids and Awards Committee 10,200 187,810 198,010 13,606 174,205 187,811
PIDS Provident Fund Inc. 5,716 0 5,716 4,188 0 4,188
15,916 205,810 221,726 284,155 1,586,612 1,870,767

16. PROVISIONS

2020 2019
Leave benefits payable 30,206,309 27,131,993
30,206,309 27,131,993
< 110 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

17. NET ASSETS/EQUITY

The details of the account are presented below:

2020 2019
Beginning balance, January 1 736,035,104 714,276,313
Prior period adjustments - (21,363,156)
Restated balance, January 1 736,035,104 692,913,157
Surplus for the period 174,776,014 43,045,822
Others 1,337,747 76,125
Balance at December 31 912,148,865 736,035,104
The net assets/equity consists of the government equity account and the accumulated surplus/deficit account. The government
equity account comprises the endowment fund amounting to PHP 311.641 million and Investment Capital-Held in Trust
amounting to PHP 0.168 million.

The Endowment Fund consists of funds released by the Bureau of the Treasury through the DBM in the amount of
PHP 311.053 million and PHP 0.588 million from the Policy Training and Technical Assistance Facility, which was contributed
to the equity of the Institute. The Endowment Fund, which was established under the same law that created the Agency,
was purposely meant for investment, earnings of which shall be used in the operational requirements of the Institute. The
account Investment Capital-Held in Trust represents the total cost of fixed assets purchased and used in the implementation of
externally funded projects (see Note 9).

The Accumulated Surplus/Deficit account consists of the accumulated earnings of the Institute, prior period adjustments, and
other capital adjustments.

18. CAPITAL OUTLAY

This account consists of PPE purchased for the year, broken down as follows:

2020
Machinery and equipment 6,385,367
Books 33,865
6,419,232

19. SERVICE AND BUSINESS INCOME

The details of the account are presented below:

2020 2019
Research fees 27,616,108 24,850,817
Interest income 24,516,621 31,085,016
Sale of publications 9,468 21,435
52,142,197 55,957,268
Research fees pertain to the earnings from the externally funded research projects, most of which were completed and
closed during the year. As part of the Institute’s cost recovery program, the projects were charged for management
fee and for the actual time rendered by research fellows, supervising research specialists, and research assistants who
worked on the project. In addition, overhead project expenses ranging from 5 to 20 percent of the total project cost were
charged by the Institute as agreed upon with the funding entities.

Interest income account represents earnings from investments and bank deposits/financial assets of the Institute.

Sale of publications account represents the proceeds from the sale of various articles published by the Institute.
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 111 >

20. PERSONNEL SERVICES

2020 2019
Salaries and wages 59,319,007 55,499,311
Other compensation 20,786,370 17,132,975
Personnel benefit contribution 9,152,653 8,509,940
Other personnel benefits 13,838,266 12,335,073
103,096,296 93,477,299
20.1 Salaries and Wages

2020 2019
Salaries and wages–regular 56,007,854 50,655,641
Salaries and wages–casual/contractual 3,311,153 4,843,670
59,319,007 55,499,311

20.2 Other Compensation

2020 2019
Personnel economic relief allowance 2,073,795 2,040,773
Representation allowance 1,624,500 1,497,250
Transportation allowance 1,191,500 1,057,000
Clothing/uniform allowance 492,000 474,000
Hazard pay 108,000 -
Overtime and night pay 47,514 197,550
Year-end bonus 5,039,112 4,581,870
Cash gift 447,500 425,000
Other bonuses and allowances 9,762,449 6,859,532
20,786,370 17,132,975

20.3 Personnel Benefit Contributions

2020 2019
Retirement and life insurance premiums 7,077,293 6,615,508
Pag-IBIG contributions 104,452 102,282
PhilHealth contributions 673,408 470,253
Employees compensation insurance premiums 104,500 102,400
Provident/welfare fund contributions 1,193,000 1,219,497
9,152,653 8,509,940

20.4 Other Personnel Benefits

2020 2019
Terminal leave benefits 8,067,698 6,466,268
Other personnel benefits 5,770,568 5,868,805
13,838,266 12,335,073
< 112 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

21. MAINTENANCE AND OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES

2020 2019
Travelling expenses 554,869 1,671,938
Training and scholarship expenses 456,234 1,720,530
Supplies and material expenses 1,346,119 1,886,139
Utility expenses 1,796,074 2,462,946
Communication expenses 1,432,894 1,584,311
Confidential, intelligence, and extraordinary expenses 59,191 293,327
Professional services 6,733,784 20,629,406
General services 2,295,524 2,532,713
Repairs and maintenance 328,866 841,111
Taxes, insurance premiums, and other fees 6,405,315 7,400,412
Other maintenance and operating expenses 36,664,356 37,631,854
58,073,226 78,654,687

21.1 Travelling Expenses

2020 2019
Travelling expenses–local 551,369 1,618,698
Travelling expenses–foreign 3,500 53,240
554,869 1,671,938

21.2 Training and Scholarship Expenses

2020 2019
Training expenses 456,234 1,720,530
456,234 1,720,530

21.3 Supplies and Materials Expenses

2020 2019
Office supplies expenses 852,526 1,257,823
Fuel, oil, and lubricants expenses 243,968 398,420
Semi-expendable machinery and equipment expenses 147,986 134,698
Semi-expendable furniture, fixtures, and books expenses 101,639 87,882
Accountable forms expenses 0 7,316
1,346,119 1,886,139
21.4 Utility Expenses

2020 2019
Water expenses 61,062 119,842
Electricity expenses 1,735,012 2,343,104
1,796,074 2,462,946
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 113 >

21.5 Communication Expenses

2020 2019
Postage and courier services 220,737 385,013
Telephone expenses 621,377 658,498
Internet subscription expenses 590,780 540,800
1,432,894 1,584,311

21.6 Confidential, Intelligence, and Extraordinary Expenses

2020 2019
Extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses 59,191 293,327
59,191 293,327

21.7 Professional Services

2020 2019
Legal services 300,000 300,000
Auditing services 3,272,421 3,251,078
Consultancy services 1,634,100 15,774,273
Other professional services 1,527,263 1,304,055
6,733,784 20,629,406

21.8 General Services

2020 2019
Janitorial services 652,662 881,968
Security services 1,642,862 1,650,745
2,295,524 2,532,713

21.9 Repairs and Maintenance

2020 2019
Repairs and maintenance–machinery and equipment 13,230 173,295
Repairs and maintenance–transportation equipment 315,636 472,868
Repairs and maintenance–leased assets improvements 0 194,448
Repairs and maintenance–furniture and fixtures 0 500
328,866 841,111

21.10 Taxes, Insurance Premiums, and Other Fees

2020 2019
Taxes, duties, and licenses 5,498,082 6,731,894
Fidelity bond premiums 103,408 80,926
Insurance expenses 803,825 587,592
6,405,315 7,400,412
< 114 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

21.11 Other Maintenance and Operating Expenses

2020 2019
Printing and publication expenses 1,235,118 1,728,250
Representation expenses 200,209 553,983
Rent/lease expenses 25,615,776 24,358,914
Membership dues and contributions to organizations 10,000 10,000
Subscription expenses 2,590,390 3,794,425
Donations 0 4,006
Major events and conventions expenses 633,689 892,129
Other maintenance and operating expenses 6,379,174 6,290,147
36,664,356 37,631,854

22. FINANCIAL EXPENSES

2020 2019
Bank charges 321,024 417,180
321,024 417,180

23. NONCASH EXPENSES

2020 2019
Depreciation–machinery and equipment 4,639,258 4,387,591
Depreciation–transportation equipment 805,967 697,927
Depreciation–furniture, fixtures, and books 88,546 88,225
Depreciation-leased assets improvements, buildings 139,465 139,466
5,673,236 5,313,209

24. NONOPERATING INCOME, GAINS, OR LOSSES

24.1 Gains

2020 2019
Gain on foreign exchange 234,782 154,156
234,782 154,156

24.2 Losses

2020 2019
Loss on foreign exchange 1,675,704 1,012,755
1,675,704 1,012,755

25. MISCELLANEOUS INCOME

2019 2018
Photocopying services 3,169 42,522
Supplies mark-up 4,968 2,057
Closing of HMO funds–interest income earned 161,520 0
Penalties/others 204,864 70,949
374,521 115,528
 PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 115 >

26. SUBSIDY FROM THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

2020 2019
Operations 135,861,000 165,694,000
Lot rental 72,576,000 0
Building construction 82,427,000 0
290,864,000 165,694,000
This account represents the regular subsidy received from the National Government (NG). PIDS had an approved appropriation
amounting to PHP 322.294 million per General Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2020. The DBM in CY 2020 released the
PHP 322.294 million per Special Allotment Release Order (SARO)-BMB-C-20-0000356 dated January 30, 2020. A negative
SARO per SARO-BMB-C-20-0012349 was issued for the PHP 31.430 million pursuant to Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan
to Heal as One Act dated March 24, 2020. Likewise, Notices of Cash Allocation (NCA) per NCA Nos. BMB-C-20-0001428,
BMB-C-20-0004078, and BMB-C-20-0007116 were released by the Bureau of Treasury to fund the cash requirements for
CY 2020.

PIDS entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of the Philippines for the lease of 3,000-square- meter
lot for a period of 25 years. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on January 27, 2020, but the lease did not push through
because some provisions in the contract were disadvantageous to PIDS and negotiations on the said provisions were not
successful. Thus, the subsidies for lot rental and building construction amounting to PHP 155.003 million were unutilized and
the said balances were closed in the Accumulated Surplus/Deficit account of the Institute and rebudgeted as Capital Outlay for
CY 2021. The total amount of PHP 155.003 million plus the interest earned amounting to PHP 66,232.27 are being maintained
at LBP Pasong Tamo branch. Said fund may not be returned to the NG since the project is not yet abandoned or cancelled. PIDS
Management was instructed by the PIDS Board of Trustees to explore other options to expedite the project implementation.

27. REPORT ON THE SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION REQUIRED BY BIR

27.1 Revenue Regulation No. 15-2010

Revenue Regulation (RR) No. 21-002 prescribing additional procedural and/or documentary requirements in connection with the
preparation and submission of financial statements accompanying income tax returns (ITR) was amended under RR No. 15-2010.
The amendment that became effective on December 28, 2010 requires the inclusion in the notes to financial statements,
information on taxes, duties, and license fees paid or accrued during the year in addition to what is required under the PPSASs
and such other standards and/or conventions.

Below is the additional information required by RR No. 15-2010. This information is presented for purposes of filing with the
BIR and is not a required part of the basic financial statements.

a. Output VAT

The PIDS does not recognize output VAT in its books.

b. input VAT

The PIDS does not recognize input VAT in its books.

c. Taxes and licenses for 2020

2020 2019
Under Taxes, Insurance Premiums, and Other Fees:
20% final tax on interest income on investments and bank 5,482,139 6,712,201
deposits
Documentary tax 0 0
Renewal of vehicle registration 15,943 19,693
5,498,082 6,731,894
< 116 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

d. Withholding taxes for 2020

d1. Withholding tax on compensation

2020 2019
Total withheld tax for the year 11,077,703 9,362,838
Less: payments made from January to November 9,286,779 8,003,018
Withholding tax still due and payable 1,790,924 1,359,820

d2. Expanded withholding tax

2020 2019
Total withheld tax for the year 1,910,200 2,190,275
Less: payments made from January to November 1,476,995 1,788,970
Withholding tax still due and payable 433,205 401,305

d3. Final tax withheld

2020 2019
Total withheld tax for the year 2,502,442 3,402,809
Less: payments made from January to November 2,003,793 2,821,883
Withholding tax still due and payable 498,649 580,926

e. Tax Case

The PIDS has no tax case as of December 31, 2020.

PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT < 117 >

PIDS STAFF
 < 118 > PIDS 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION

EDITORIAL ADVISER
Celia M. Reyes

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Sheila V. Siar

DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Gizelle G. Manuel

CONTRIBUTORS
Marisa S. Abogado
Ramon Gino C. Chan Jr.
John Paul P. Corpuz
Jasmine James E. Cortez
Neille Gwen B. de la Cruz
Reynalyn A. Garcia
Rica Thea A. Ladaga
Melalyn C. Mantaring
Jan Michael M. Oseo
Maria Dana E. Patuar
Sheila V. Siar
Rowena T. Taliping

IMAGES AND INFOGRAPHICS

Gizelle G. Manuel
Neille Gwen B. de la Cruz
Rica Thea A. Ladaga
TEAM 2020

CIRCULATION
Hazel Anne P. Cenizal